


Frosted Hallows

by VioletteShadow



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Fate & Destiny, Fluff, Just a bit of fun, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:28:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 33,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22891018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VioletteShadow/pseuds/VioletteShadow
Summary: Becoming a Guardian didn't solve all of Jack's problems. Looking for answers in the moon isn't working, maybe he will find the answers when he is dragged, literally, into the life of Harry Potter.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Jack Frost, Jack Frost (Guardians of Childhood)/Harry Potter
Comments: 125
Kudos: 861
Collections: Harry Potter Fanfic Must Reads





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a bit of light and fluffy fun. No big angst or anything once our boys find each other! It gets a bit smutty as the story progresses. 
> 
> I started this a few years ago and never got around to finishing it. Now it is all complete!

Jack Frost lounged on his back as the wind blew him wherever it was headed. He tried to let the clear night skies ease his twisted thoughts. Getting the hang of being a guardian was confusing. There was no manual on what he was supposed to do now that he had helped save the world from Pitch. The other guardians had jumped right back into their work, but Jack’s only work was goofing off and somehow now that felt...irresponsible. Sure, he was the Guardian of Fun, but he felt as if he needed more direction now. 

North had Christmas and Bunny had Easter to keep them focused. Tooth and Sandy were constantly busy with their jobs. Jack didn’t really do anything but fly around causing mischief, and now that just felt...empty. Actually he felt a bit empty in general. You would think that after recovering his memories, saving the world, and starting to be recognized by children, Jack would feel better, but somehow he was more hollow than ever. 

He looked up at the silent moon and whispered, “Why? Why do I feel this way? What am I not doing? Where am I meant to be?”

The moon just beamed down at him and Jack sighed and began to head home. Just then a sudden strong gust of wind sent him spiraling down out of the upper atmosphere and towards the earth below. Jack cried out flung his arms and legs out trying to stabilize himself in the suddenly twisting gusts of wind. Jack could see trees and housetops getting much too close at much too fast of a pace, and just when he thought that he wouldn’t be able to escape the vicious winds he was flung to the side and out of the column of swirling air. He looked up at the angry sky, the dark clouds and wind being pulled into a the twisting vortex that tapered down to end just above the ground a few meters away. There at the base, stood a large group of people. 

They were standing in front yard of a small cottage. One small teenager stood facing a mass of people, his green eyes glowing with anger as power swirled around him. Instinctively Jack could tell that this boy was the source of the twister raging above, just ready to be unleashed on the ground below. He could see that heated words were being exchanged between the boy and the group, but the howling wind was stealing any sound away. Cautiously, Jack inched forward to hear what was going on. As he got closer he realized that each person in the large group was holding a small stick pointed at the boy. 

‘Ahh,’ Jack thought, ‘Wizards then.’

Jack had see his fair share of the magic users over the centuries of his life. He was as invisible to them as he was everyone else, with the exception of Jamie and his small group of friends, but Jack tended to avoid them since they tended to be more aware of magical phenomena and instead of falling for his pranks tended to shoot rather nasty blasts from their wands in his general direction. Jack didn’t know how wizarding magic would effect an elemental force like himself or the other guardians, but he chose not to test it out to see.

“Give him back, now!” Jack had just gotten close enough to hear what the boy was shouting.

“Now, Mr. Potter, you know the new laws demand that all dangerous creatures are to be taken into ministry custody.” The witch at the front of the group said, although her eyes looked nervously up at the raging heavens.

“He is a baby! He is not a monster, nor are half the other people that you have enslaved!” The boy was now shaking with rage. Jack could see that the boy’s eyes were focused, not on the woman speaking, but on something in the center of the group of wizards. Following his line of vision, Jack saw a sight that made his stomach twist and his own anger build. 

There, huddled in a cage was a small toddler, his face was red from screaming and his arms were outstretched to the young man facing down the group. There must be some sort of magic blocking the noise since there was no sound coming from the tiny boy. The toddler grabbed the bar of the cage and Jack could see a hiss of smoke and the boy pulled his hand back again, a raw burn forming where his skin had touched metal. Jack shot forward, heedless of all the magic users, who couldn’t see him anyway, until he was at the side of the cage. He blew a soft breath towards the red skin of the child’s hand and saw the relief in his eyes as Jack’s cooling magic soothed the burn. 

Thunder and lightning suddenly crashed overhead and the teen roared in fury, “Give him back or I swear you will see exactly what your Savior is capable of.”

Everyone in the group seemed to sway back away from the enraged young man. “Mr. Potter you will be able to petition the Wizengamot at their next hearing in three months. Until that time this thing will be kept at a specialized containment facility…”

Jack could tell that the teen was about to snap whatever tenuous control he had managed to be keeping and Jack didn’t want the young child caught in the crossfire of whatever was about to happen. With a focused effort Jack forced his magical ice into the hinges of the small cage until he could feel the metal creaking with strain, then with a hard swing of his staff he struck the cage right on the stressed hinge. With a sharp crack the cage door crashed open and the child’s screams were instantly heard across the field. That was evidently the breaking point for the teen and the wind suddenly crashed down on the group of wizards. Jack threw himself halfway in the cage, covering the small boy protectively with his body. 

This action proved unnecessary however, as the wind swirled around the cage, crashing the wizards to the ground and absorbing anything that was shot from the wizards’ wands. However, the cage and the boy remained untouched as the dark haired teen walked calmly through the wind towards the cage, the only sign that he was even slightly affected was his hair whipping about his eyes, even as the other wizards were tossed through the air like rag dolls. Jack moved out of the way as the teen reached the cage and the toddler launched himself into the teen’s arms. The moment the teen had a firm grip on the toddler the wind died away and the black clouds cleared to reveal the smiling moon. 

The wizards, who were scattered across the yard, were starting to sit up, some of them groping around in the grass around them for their wands that had been lost in the tempest. The teen glowered around at the men and women, even as his hand rubbed the toddler's back soothingly. 

“If you dare to touch him again I will bring hell fire like this world has never seen down on anyone who gets in my way.” He growled, “I saved this world from a madman so that the world could be a better place. But instead of taking the opportunity to improve, you and your ministry are making it worse than ever!”

For a moment it looked like the spokeswoman would speak again, but the teen interrupted her before she could make a noise.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone. I just want to live alone in peace, but you are hurting good and innocent people. I will no longer stand idly by while you make a mess of the gift that I gave you all. Mark my words that this will be a day that the ministry will come to regret!” And with a flick of his wrist the many witches and wizards still sprawled across the grass went flying out of the small yard and Jack felt a slight tingle as a shimmering barrier erected itself around the house with only the teen, the toddler, and Jack on the inside.

Curiously Jack raised a hand to the barrier. It felt warm and sent a pleasant tingle up his arm, but as he pushed he could feel how strong it was. In the back of his mind he wondered if his magic would be able to break through, but that was not his priority at the moment. He turned back to the toddler and the boy holding him and moved closer so he was standing beside them in case anyone else tried to hurt the child. The toddler was still clinging to the teen so hard it looked as if he were trying to burrow inside him. The teen’s eyes were following the wizards outside the barrier as if daring them to try to break through. The wizards, however, seemed to have lost all interest trying to get the toddler and were scurrying around collecting various wands, hats, and papers that had been blown about, then with a pop they were each disappearing.

Only once the last person disappeared did the teen’s shoulders relax. He burrowed his face in the toddler’s hair and he could hear him whispering. Leaning closer Jack heard what the teen was saying.

“I’m sorry, Teddy. I am so sorry. I won’t let anything like that happen again. I am so sorry. I love you.”

Jack was sure that the teen was crying now too into the little boy’s hair as the two clutched each other. Jack felt a painful warmth settle in his chest at the sight, filling that void that had been eating away at him. Their strong bond was beautiful, but it was horrible that it had been tested and caused them both so much pain. The teen turned away from the lawn and started inside the small cottage. Jack had a second of indecision before he slipped inside along with them before the teen closed the door with his heel.

‘Well it is not like I can leave with that barrier up anyway.’ Jack justified to himself, trying to feel like less of a stalker. He didn’t often hang around inside people’s homes, with the exception of Jamie’s room, but that was different since the boy could now see him, and he still didn’t go poking around other parts of his house. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somebody sees Jack, but it isn't Harry!

** Chapter 2 **

The teen, Mr. Potter, Jack recalled one of the wizards saying, settled himself and the toddler on a small couch in a little living room. With another wave of his hand, a fire sprang up in the hearth. Jack was immediately drawn to the heat. He wondered if it was odd that a winter spirit would be so comfortable, and even enjoy the heat. 

“Expecto Patronum!” Jack jumped at the teen’s voice and the sudden burst of silver that erupted from the teen’s hand and coalesced into a large deer, “Hermione, Ron, I need you!”

The deer went running off through the wall and Harry resumed rubbing and mumbling soothing words to the still crying toddler. Jack wished that he could help soothe the little one in some way, his sobs were heartbreaking. “It’s ok. It’s ok. I got you. I got you.” The teen kept repeating, rocking and rubbing the baby, although Jack got the feeling he was trying to settle himself down as well. Jack could still feel waves of power radiating off the teen and he wondered if that was a regular occurrence, or if it only happened when the boy was worked up. Jack took a small step closer and could feel the teen's magic tingle over his cool skin. It was an oddly nice feeling. 

With one last hiccuping sigh the little boy's sobs quieted to sniffles and he seemed to slump bonelessly in the teen's arms.

"There you go." The teen said and even smiled softly for the baby's benefit. "That's my teddy bear."

The toddler leaned back a little so he could look up at the teen. Jack would guess the kid was a little over a year old, and he was pretty confident in his ability to guess accurately. Kids were his job after all. Toddlers were especially fun because they were amazed by even the smallest things Jack could do, like dancing snowflakes and tickling breezes. 

"Feel better, Bear?" The teen asked the toddler. The toddler didn't answer, but suddenly the boy's hair and eyes, that had up until now matched the teen's in color and texture, morphed into a warm chocolate brown, and his skin turned a bit more tan. 

"Good," the teen smiled a bit wider and Jack noticed for the first time just how cute the teen was. He was about the same age as Jack was when he died, but he was built smaller, although they were both similarly thin. But the most arresting thing about the boy was his eyes. They were large, almost too large for his face, and seemed to glow from some inner source like the boy had swallowed the sun and it was shining through his eyes. Jack shivered at the thought of how that gaze would feel focused on him. Although, since he was invisible, that was not likely to happen, unless the teen happened to look in his direction, and even then he would just be looking through him. It was a depressing thought, even though it was the way Jack had existed for over three centuries. 

There was a loud whooshing sound that caused both the heads of both boys on the couch to turn, and caused Jack to jump into the air and alight on a small bookcase. He would have chuckled at his own jumpiness if he hadn't been surprised by the fact that two humans had just popped out of the fireplace. He really needed to hang around more magic folk. For an immortal magical spirit, it was embarrassing to be so awestruck.

"Harry!" The girl who had just materialized out of the fireplace cried hugging the two obviously distraught boys on the couch. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"The Ministry tried to take Teddy. Nearly succeeded too!" He cuddled the small boy close again. "We were playing in the yard and I let him cross the wards to go get his ball and they had him in a silver cage in seconds! They must have been waiting for hours or days just to ambush him."

"Fuckers!" Spat the tall redhead as he plopped down on another sofa across from the other.

"Language, Ron." The bushy-haired girl chided as she released the boys from her hug and joined the redhead. From the way they folded into each other Jack could tell they were a couple.

"Well, I hope Harry kicked their ignorant as...bottoms." He looked at the brunette girl in fear but she just shook her head at him before turning back to Harry.

"I don't know what else we can do. We have fought this ban on magical creatures through every legal means possible! The world is just so scared the people are just lashing out at everything. Did you know that they are talking of withdrawing all wizarding accounts from Gringotts so that they can "monitor" the goblins without the worry of them tampering with wizarding money? Professor Flitwick has already been asked to leave Hogwarts." The girl bit her lip, "I mean he is a war hero and only part goblin!"

The boy, Harry growled low in his chest, "This is ridiculous. Is this what we risked our lives for? Is this what I bloody died for?”

Jack had a sudden epiphany that he found deep growly voices attractive. He noticed, however, that the toddler did not seem as enthused with the tension that was building up again in the teen. The toddler who had started to relax tucked his head back into Harry’s neck.

“Hey little man,” Jack smiled at the boy as he hopped from the bookshelf he was still perched on to land on the long table behind the sofa. Jack blew a gentle breath over the toddler’s flushed cheeks, trying to soothe the heated flesh. The boy looked up over Harry’s shoulder, his curious eyes shifting into a golden amber. Jack made a couple of sparkling little snowflakes drift above his hand that he held at the boy’s eye level. Gold shifted to a light purple as a small smile quirked at the boy’s lips and he poked more of his face over Harry’s shoulder. 

“Your name was Teddy, right?” Jack said softly, aware that no one could hear him, but he liked to talk...even if it was just to himself. “You like animals, Teddy?”

Jack consolidated the snowflakes into a ball and formed it into a bunny about the size of his thumb, and much like he did when convincing Jamie that the Guardians were real, he animated the sculpture and had it jump around his palm. The smile on Teddy’s face grew bigger and his hair shifted to a bright orange. Jack grinned, “That is quite cool, little man!”

Jack molded the bunny into a turtle and had it swim through the air, being sure to keep it out of view of the other occupants of the room. The turtle became a whale, then a bird, then a cat that sprang to the back of the couch and licked Teddy’s nose. The boy giggled and was now fully extracted from Harry’s lap and was happily sitting next to him, leaning over the back of the couch watching Jack’s little show.

“What’s so funny, Cub?” Harry asked, tickling the toddler. It was amazing how the child’s laughter had obviously relaxed the other occupants of the room. Jack had tuned out their conversation, but it seemed to have turned to lighter topics. They began discussing a friend’s upcoming wedding...something about goldenrod bouquets to keep Nargles at bay. Teddy was bouncing in anticipation of the next animal. Jack made him a mouse which then shifted to an owl. Teddy clapped his chubby little hands. 

Next Jack formed the snow into a little wolf that pounced about wagging his tail. Teddy’s eyes grew large and his nose twitched. Jack smiled warmly as the toddler stared at the little wolf and sniffed the air, his little brows furrowed in concentration and the boy sniffed the air again. Then with puzzled eyes, the toddler looked straight at Jack, then with a drooly grin, all the color drained from his features leaving him with ice blue eyes and white hair. Jack toppled back off the table in surprise. How the toddler had seen him was a mystery. He definitely hadn’t been able to see him moments before.

"Hey Bear, that is a new one!" Harry plucked the toddler back onto his lap, looking the small boy over. He chuckled, "I don't even think Malfoy and Luna's kids will be this pale."

"Merlin, I don't think that the world is ready for them to procreate yet. I hope they choose to wait a few years so I can mentally prepare." The redhead moaned.

Teddy was squirming to get back to where he could see Jack more clearly, but Harry was holding him fast. Teddy glowered at him, his hair turning a dark green. Harry just grinned at him, "Nope, it is time for little boys who have had crazy nights to go to bed."

At the word bed, Teddy's eyes turned green to match the teen’s again, and he stuck his bottom lip out in a very persuasive pout, in Jack’s opinion. Harry, however, was unswayed and just places a smacking kiss on the toddler’s nose.

“That is our cue, out of here before the waterworks start,” Ron smirked as he stood and stretched.

Harry grimaced, “He has been getting better. It helped when Remus and Tonk’s portrait was finished. I know he was too young to really remember them, but I really think that it helps to have them in the room.” 

“That is great, but remember what that article I gave you said. After all the trauma you both went through it is ok to need to comfort each other.” The brunette smiled, “A year of co-sleeping isn’t going to damage him, in fact, there are many studies that show co-sleeping as the most natural…”

“I know, I just realized that I wasn’t doing it for him, I was doing it for me. I need to get over these night terrors on my own, not use Teddy as a distraction.”

“You don’t have to do it on your own,” Hermione smiled, “But I understand that you don’t want to use Teddy. Maybe you could start trying to date…”

Harry groaned and Ron interjected between his friends, “And now we are off!” He practically dragged the brunette with the complicated name to the fire, “Just floo if ya need us, mate. For anything. And don’t worry we will figure out a plan for the ministry!”

“Thanks, guys, I really needed to talk it out.” Both gave the toddler a hug and kiss.

“Anytime, love you, Harry!” They waved and disappeared into a flash of green flames.

Jack felt a pang in his chest at the slightly bereft look on the teen’s face as he looked after his friends. He had the urge to go and hug the dark-haired boy, but knowing that he would phase right through him made the thought useless. The thought of not being able to make contact with Harry seemed wrong and Jack didn’t think he could take the teen not noticing his touch. 

“Alright Bear, let’s get ready to tuck in for the night!” Harry said with false cheer in his voice that turned into a real chuckle as he looked at the pout still adorning the toddler’s face. “Come on, if we hurry and get in our jammies there will be enough time for you to talk to your Mum and Dad.”

The toddler’s hair turned a blinding shade of pink and his eyes a golden amber as he smiled at Harry. Harry grinned at that, “Yup that’s it Bear!”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Putting Teddy to bed.

Chapter 3

Jack pretended that he didn’t feel like a creeper as he followed the pair up a narrow set of stairs and down a hall to what had to be Teddy’s room. Harry plonked Teddy down on a fluffy poof that made a squeaking noise and Teddy bounced lightly on it. Harry shook his head with a small smile and muttered something that sounded like, “Only Luna.” He then turned to a small chest of drawers to grab a set of pajamas and a fresh nappy for the toddler. Jack took that as his cue to study the array of books and toys that littered the shelves along the edge of the room. 

Wizards, it seems, have very interesting toys. Jack was studying something that looks like a self-propelled gyroscope that glowed different colors when he heard Teddy giggle madly and Harry start to make vrooming noises. He turned to see Harry holding the now pajama-clad toddler aloft above his head as he made a zigzag pattern across the room to a large rocking chair. He settled Teddy in his lap facing the wall where a large portrait hung. Jack hadn’t noticed it when he first entered and quickly rushed over to see more clearly when he saw the man and woman in the picture start to move. He really had to spend some more time around wizards!

“Hi, Remus! Hey Tonks!” Harry smiled up at the portrait.

“Wotcher Harry?” The woman beamed at Harry and the toddler who was waving wildly at the painting. “How was my boy’s day?!”

Teddy’s hair turned neon blue and freckles bloomed across his face. The woman, who had to be the boy’s mother, laughed and then mimicked the boy’s change. Teddy clapped and shifted again, and soon the two were thoroughly absorbed in a battle of...changing? Jack really had to find a better word for the transformation ability.

While the toddler was distracted the man in the painting was looking over Harry. “Something wrong Harry?”

Harry sighed rubbing the hand that wasn’t balancing a bouncing Teddy over his face, “God, Remus, you have no idea! The ministry was here. I just wanted to settle down and have a quiet life, but I feel like I am getting backed into a corner and will have to do something.”

The man, who must be Remus, looked concerned, “What happened?”

Harry tightened his grip on Teddy, “They tried to take Teddy, put him in one of those camps for magical creatures.”

Warm amber eyes flashed gold and the kind face of the man in the painting hardened. Jack also noticed that the woman in the painting was looking at Harry now too, although she was still distracting the toddler with funny faces.

“I will never let that happen,” Harry said, burrowing his face in Teddy’s currently red curls.

Remus smiled sadly at the teen, “We know that Harry. That is why we entrusted him to you. We know that you will do everything in your power to protect him, even when it seems like the world is going mad.”

Jack could see the tears filling the teen's eyes, but refusing to spill over, “What am I supposed to do Remus? Should fight this? Should I just gather up Teddy and run? We gave up so much in the war, so many people sacrificed themselves to make the world better, and now it seems as it has gotten even worse! We have spoken out, fought legislation in the courts, and even held bloody press conferences. Nothing has made a difference!”

“Trust your instincts, Harry. What does your gut say to do?” The woman chimed in.

“A big part of me wants to take Teddy and run, start afresh somewhere far away. But then I think of all the people that would be stuck here. All the people the ministry has already imprisoned, all the families that are getting torn apart. I can’t just leave them!” 

“It looks like you already have your answer.” Remus squeezed the woman in the portraits waist as they smiled at the pair in the rocker, “None of us were ever ones to run from a challenge.”

Harry smiled back sardonically, “Yeah, I guess not.”

“Now, speaking of challenges, has my little fella decided that it is time to start talkin’ yet?”

Harry laughed at the blatant change in topic, “Naw, not yet, he is being stubborn. He understands so much now, but hasn’t made a peep.”

Teddy turned to Harry with a frown and his hair turned a dark red.

All the adults laughed, including Jack, which caused Teddy to turn towards him again and once again he mimicked Jack’s coloring or lack thereof. 

Remus whistled, “Oh, is that one new?”

“He did it for the first time downstairs just now.” Harry turned Teddy around to face him and kissed his button nose, “Just too handsome for words.”

Jack felt a pleasant warmth bloom in his chest at Harry’s words. He realized he was being ridiculous. He was over three hundred years old, he was much too old to have a...crush. Damn, but that is what it felt like. He had never actually been infatuated before, but he had read about the feeling extensively. He wasn’t about to admit to anyone that he would spend hours in closed libraries reading sappy romances, but they cheered him up when his loneliness started to feel too overwhelming. 

He was startled out of his musings by Harry and Teddy standing up, evidently finished up their conversation without Jack’s notice.

“Night night Teddy Bear,” Harry whispered as he lowered a yawning Teddy into a large crib.

Teddy looked up and Harry, once again mimicking Harry’s features and held his arms back up. Tears were welling up in his eyes and he squeezed his little hands together in the universal sign for ‘pick me up’. Jack saw Harry’s internal battle as he looked down at that sad face before caving and picking the toddler back up. He rested Teddy’s head on his shoulder and walked over to the window where he rocked the toddler, humming lowly. 

Jack lost track of the time as he just watched their form silhouetted in the moonlight. His chest felt pleasantly tight as his gaze lingered over the beautiful calm expression that fluttered over Harry’s face as the teen closed his eyes and rested his cheek against Teddy’s curls. Jack wanted to wrap his arms around the pair, be somehow enfolded into their little unit. Instead, he forced himself to back out of the room. He was such a creeper, watching a guy rock his kid to sleep! He walked down the hallway, studying all of the pictures moving along. They seemed less impressive than the sentient looking painting he had just observed. He placed a hand over the framed picture of the couple that had just been visiting earlier that evening, though they looked much younger in the photo. He could feel a slight tingle of magic emanating from the paper, although it felt different from the type of magic thrumming through his own veins.

Jack was caught up momentarily in the hows and whys of magic. He has never really devoted much study to how his magic works. He knows that as an elemental spirit his power stems from nature, specifically the moon in his case, although there are other spirits who get their power from the earth or sun. He knows that in most cases elemental magic is stronger than the internal magic that is wielded by mortal wizards, but it also came with more constrictions. His invisibility, for example, or his intermittent ability to touch physical objects. There were times that he could pick things up and move them around, but at other times he phased right through them and couldn’t pick up so much as a book. He hadn’t quite figured out the when and why of this, but it seemed to have to do with his intention. If he was all alone and just picking up a book to read it he was normally able to, but if others were around or he was trying to get noticed he couldn’t. Yet he could move things around perfectly well around the other guardians or is he was on a mission. And sometimes around Jamie...it was too confusing and Jack gave up thinking about it.

There was a small creek and Jack turned to see an empty-armed Harry quietly tiptoeing out of Teddy’s room. The teen closed the door so just a sliver of hallway light would peek through into the dim room. He pulled out his wand and whispered a few words while waving it at the door before sighing deeply. He looked tired, Jack thought to himself, and really Jack couldn’t blame him. From what Jack had gathered, it seemed that Harry was raising Teddy on his own and the pair seemed to be up against some major challenges. Jack hadn’t understood everything that the teens had been talking about but he caught the gist. 

The wizarding government seemed to be starting a genocide against creatures...of which Teddy was one? Jack wondered what he was. He had also picked up on the fact that there seemed to have just been a war or major shift in power of something. Whatever had happened the teens had definitely been involved. Harry had even said something about dying, which made an uncomfortable heavy feeling try to crush Jack’s chest. Jack was determined to get a better picture of what was going on. If this government was treating other children like Teddy it may be something he should get the Guardians in on. They were not allowed to meddle in distinctly human (including wizard) affairs, but since this was crossing the line to include magical creatures some of which may be of the elemental world like Jack, they may be able to get involved. 

Jack was pulled out of his thoughts as Harry began to walk away down the hallway. Jack was torn. Hanging around in the guy’s house was creepy enough, following him around as he got ready for bed? He figured that crossed a line. So instead he figured he would leave the two humans to sleep and go and poke around the first floor.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry notices something is not right.

Harry groaned as the hot water blast at his taut muscles. He really owed Charlie for teaching him that water pressure charm. On days like today when he could practically hear the tension in his shoulders and neck, the intense spray of water helped beat his muscles into relaxation, at least to some degree. He could just stand here for hours. Maybe he could invent a standing, waterproof bed, or something. He managed a small smile as he shook his head at his own thoughts. 

Shutting off the water, he shivered pleasantly at the influx of cold air as he pulled back the shower curtain. He liked the contrast of the cool air against the angry red of his skin. Deciding to air dry and he brushed his teeth, Harry puttered around getting ready for bed. Just before climbing into bed he pulled on a pair of boxers and flopped onto his bed. 

Harry lay facedown for a few moments before the tapping of his brain forced him to roll over and sit up against the pillows. He mentally snorted at his own neurosis, but ever since the end of the war, he had been increasingly paranoid. He had a meticulous nightly ritual that he had to complete before he could even contemplate falling asleep. He raised his hands and closed his eyes. He reached out with his magic and inspected the house wards. They were particularly present tonight due to the extra layer he had added earlier. He wasn’t even sure exactly what he had done earlier...his magic was like that since the end of the war. He wasn’t sure exactly what had caused it, whether it was the deathly hallows thing, or the dying thing, or just the growing up thing. But whatever the reason his magic responded to his will intuitively. No wand-waving or words needed. He still used his wand...from time to time. 

His intuitive magic normally got the job done, but not always in the way he expected. For instance, like the time he was rearranging the furniture in his living room and he had meant to summon the sofa from one end to the other, and instead accidentally conjured a brand new sofa where he wanted the old one to go. Or the time he was helping wash the scorch marks from the walls of the great hall, and instead of conjuring a bucket of water he had somehow fixed the magical ceiling and caused it to rain a real downpour. He was more accustomed to it now, however. He hadn’t caused any real messes since that baby powder incident during a particularly nasty diaper change that had thoroughly distracted him.

Once Harry was confident in the wards' stability, Harry relaxed slightly. The only thing left was check-in. This was the creepy part of his obsession. He has to make sure that everyone was safe. Harry reached to his nightstand where a book, looking much like a simple diary, sat inconspicuously next to a few other spell books and muggle novels. Harry picked it up and peeled back the heavy wards protecting the book’s contents. Once the book was open Harry traced his finger in an intricate design on the inside front cover and whispered, “I solemnly swear I am up to no good.” His homage to the marauders made him smile every time as ink started to blossom across the pages. The first pages were of Hogwarts, his first home. 

It wasn’t nearly as detailed as the original Marauder’s Map, but it showed the rooms and the small dots as people moved around. He hadn’t quite finished the book into showing names in Hogwarts. It may be the new and improved wards he had helped put up at the school or just the sheer number of students. Harry turned to the next two pages. Malfoy on the left and Luna on the right. The two images were identical since both were in the same place. He looked down at the bottom of the page where the address was written. Willow Glen, Luna’s cottage that had an odd habit of picking up its foundation and relocating to a different area every few weeks. It had a tricky bit of spell work for Harry to set the book to track people and not just show a specified location. He probably could have figured it out faster with Hermione’s help, but no one knew about his journal, and he was too embarrassed to let anyone find out. He was basically stalking his friends, invading their privacy, but it was the only way he could rest at night. He HAD to know they were safe.

The next pages were Neville, Andromeda, each of the Weasleys, then Ron and Hermione. Their dots were merged into one on the sofa in their flat’s living room and Harry grimaced and turned the page quickly not wanting to contemplate that. Teddy and himself each had a page. And the final two-page spread was a detailed map of their own cottage. He took a cursory glance at the last page, even as he yawned and started to close the book when suddenly he froze. He opened the book back up, a shiver going down his spine. He looked over the map closely. His own dot, labeled Harry Potter, was in his bedroom. Theodor Lupin’s dot was tucked safe and sound in his crib. There were no other dots to be seen. But Harry could have sworn… 

He kept his eyes fixed on the map until they started to water from the strain of keeping them open, but still, he refused to blink. Then he saw it. Small footprints moving across his living room. Footprints with no dot.

—————

Jack was by nature a nosy person, it was part of why he enjoyed causing such mischief, he was curious about how people would react. Now he was fixated on finding out as much as he could about this little family who had caught his attention. So far he had poked through a baby book of Teddy’s that was prominently displayed on a shelf, read through a few letters that had been left out on a side table, and was currently inspecting what he thought was a snow globe, but upon closer inspection seemed to be a crystal ball that was replaying a scene of Harry zooming about on a broom with some other tiny people. 

Jack picked up the ball and held it close to his eyes in the dim light given off by the glowing remains of the slowly dying fire. He watched as Harry seemed to catch something and start to cheer, arms raised in victory. Jack smiled, his chest warming again as he watched the miniature Harry’s carefree laugh. He wondered if this was something that had really happened, like a memory trapped in a ball. He wondered if other balls were hiding about the house. He liked watching Harry. He wondered if they had any of him at the beach or something. Harry splashing about in the water without a shirt on. Maybe a nude beach...Jack liked to visit those. There were great pranks to play. But Harry at a nude beach...Jack would be too busy ogling to do any pranking. 

Jack didn’t often notice the way people looked, it did happen on occasion. He was trapped in an immortal teenage body after all. He got urges just like the next guy, but after 300 years of taking care of himself, it had kind of lost its appeal. Sure, it felt good in the moment, but it left him feeling all the more lonely afterward. It felt different with Harry though. Jack had seen some of the most beautiful people in history. But he was feeling a pull towards Harry, and Jack didn’t think it was just because of the way he looked. Although, he looked amazing in Jack's opinion. All lithe grace, and fiery eyes, and kissable lips...damn, he was starting to salivate. He needed to distract himself. 

Putting down the crystal globe Jacked turned and froze. Fiery eyes were looking straight at him and a wand was pointed right at his chest.

He took a step back, away from the very angry looking figure in front of him. Jack’s heart was pounding frantically and he couldn’t tell if it was from fear or excitement. Green eyes flicked down momentarily to a small book held in the hand not currently holding the wand pointed steadily at Jack. 

“Who is there?” The boy hissed and it was then that Jack realized that although the teen was looking right at him, his eyes weren't focused. Somehow Harry knew he was there, but he still couldn’t see him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys have their first chat...sort of.

Harry glanced down at the map depicting his living room. It was empty, but for Harry’s own dot. Then slight flicker right before his dot showing one footprint taking a step back.

“Don’t move!” He ordered, and immediately the footprints disappeared again. “Who are you?”

There was nothing but more silence in the room.

“I know you are there.” He was staring so hard at nothingness his eyes started to burn, he glanced down at the map again. Nothing. Harry knew he wasn’t imagining it. Someone was there, right in front of him, he was sure. 

Harry swallowed thickly, knowing that what he was about to do was probably stupid, but he didn’t want to start throwing hexes if he was really just going crazy. Keeping his wand hand steady he pocketed his book and reached out his other hand towards the empty-looking space in front of him.

\----

Jack watched the hand approaching him as if time was moving in slow motion. All he could hear was the pounding of his heart as the fingers crept closer. He didn’t know if they would phase right through him, or if there was some chance that the wizard would be able to feel him. Jack didn’t know which he was hoping for more. 

The fingers paused a hair’s breadth away from his chest as if they could sense the presence their owner could not see. Jack could seem to remember how to breathe the air he did not really need as those surprisingly long fingers closed that last gap and he felt the solid warmth of Harry touch his chest. For a moment it seemed like both boys were frozen in place, staring at the place where Harry’s fingers were touching him. 

“Ok,” Harry breathed, “Not crazy then.”

Jack looked back up to the boy’s face and watched the look of concentration as the force of Harry’s hand increased as shifted so that his whole palm was pressed against Jack’s chest. Jack wondered if Harry could feel how much Jack’s heart was pounding. 

“Who are you?” Harry repeated, his voice was hard but his eyes held a slight glimmer of curiosity.

Jack figured that maybe if Harry could feel him he may be able to hear him too. “Jack. My name is Jack. And honest I am not here to hurt you or anything. I was just flying by and just kind of wound up here...”

Harry was frowning as Jack was talking, and Jack’s heart sank. Harry couldn’t hear him. Then Harry’s hand moved up his chest to his neck. Jack briefly wondered if Harry was going to try to strangle him or something, but instead, his hand just rested on Jack’s throat as the Guardian finished up his introduction.

“You are trying to talk...aren't you?” Harry said cautiously and Jack realized that Harry could feel the vibrations of his voice.

Suddenly feeling ecstatic Jack started nodding frantically, “Yes! I can’t believe that you haven't blasted me yet, especially after the night you have had. I wouldn’t have blamed you if you did, still wouldn’t, but it would be really great if you lowered that wand. I don’t even know if your magic will work properly on me, but I don’t care to find out. And oh my god, you're getting closer…”

Harry was taking a cautious step forward, the hand on Jack’s throat moving up over his chin and then paused, his warm fingers resting delicately over Jack’s mouth. Jack froze again, resisting the sudden need to lick his lips. 

“Are you a Death Eater?”

Jack didn’t know the term but figured that anything that ate death was a bad thing. “No,” he said, with a shake of his head for good measure. 

“Well I doubt you would be telling me if you were, but you haven't tried to kill me yet so that it is possible you are telling the truth. Do you work for the Ministry?”

Another head shake.

“Do I know you?” Jack shook his head.

“Are you cursed? Is that why you can talk?”

Jack started to shake his head then paused...it was kind of like a curse. Instead, he nodded and then shook his head, hoping to convey his indecision. Harry seemed to get the message. 

“Ok...ok...umm, I am going to just search you for weapons ok? I don't think you are here to hurt us, you would have had ample opportunity for that, but I have to check.” Jack smiled and nodded and the corner of Harry’s mouth quirked up the slightest bit as he felt the smile with his fingers. 

\----

Harry kept his wand in his hand, but lowered it and used his other hand to quickly skim over the surface of the figure in front of him. It was definitely male. Taller than him, but slender. He seemed to be wearing muggle clothes. He was also freezing cold. It wasn't even cool outside, much less cold enough to make the man’s skin feel like he had been swimming in the black lake.

“Do you need a blanket or something? You are bloody freezing!” Harry asked, trying to distract himself slightly as he ran his hand over the man’s legs and hips. His muscles were firm and lean and Harry wondered if it would be inappropriate to let his touch linger. Definitely inappropriate, he chastised himself and moved down. He...he wasn't wearing shoes…that was weird.

He realized belatedly that he would not be able to tell the guy’s response to the blanket question since he wasn't touching his face and shot a hand up towards the man’s head so he could answer. And promptly punched him in the face. Accidentally, but the result was the same. 

“Oh fuck, sorry!” Harry pocketed his wand and used both hands to examine the guys face for injury, “Are you ok? I didn't mean to…shit are you crying?” Harry could feel the man’s shoulder’s shaking.

A cold hand grabbed one of Harry’s and raised it to his cool, smooth cheek and shook his head. From his hand's position he could feel the wide smile, “Oh, you're laughing.”

The man nodded and Harry could feel the heat rising in his own cheeks. He had checked most of the man over in his hunt for any weapons and had found very little of note, not even the feel of a wallet. He still needed to check his back and arms, but now felt awkward, well more awkward. He patted over the guy's shoulders, “You aren’t hiding anything dangerous right? I don’t think I am very good at this.”

The cool hand found his again and tugged Harry’s hand and pulled it to his side and Harry felt where the guy's other hand was holding something hard. And big. How had he missed that? Harry ran his hands slowly down the invisible object. It felt like wood, but too rough to be a baseball bat or something. He moved up his hand and felt it curve over at the top. “Umm, what is it?”

He felt something pat the pocket of his pajamas pants where his wand was stowed. “A wand? It is like a wand? Ah, it is a staff!”

The hand-pulled Harry’s back to his cheek and the invisible figure nodded again. “So you are a wizard!”

The man shook his head ‘no’. Harry frowned. “Can you do magic?”

Another nod/head shake, which Harry and figured meant ‘Sort of.”

“But you aren’t a wizard?” Harry reiterated, just to be sure. Another ‘no’. 

“Are you a muggle?” There was a pause then the hand moved Harry’s to his shoulder which moved up and down...a shrug? 

“Oh, a muggle is a non-magic person. Are you a muggle?”

Another head shake. “So you can do some magic, but are not a wizard or a muggle.”

A nod.

“Are...are you human?”

There was a pause then a head shake, ‘no’. A shiver went down Harry’s spine. The guy wasn’t a human? He sure felt like a human! Before Harry realized what he was doing he was running both hands over the figure again, trying to find a clue as to what he was. He didn’t seem to have any extra appendages. He was of average human height. Oh, he had soft hair...focus, Harry! His ears seemed normal. Harry carefully ran his fingers over his face this time, feeling for nuances that could hint at what this guy was. He had a strong jawline, but a generally narrow face, and smooth skin. Harry wasn’t sure but he had the impression he was young but other than that he seemed normal, except for how cold he was. That gave Harry pause.

“Are you a ghost?” Harry had never met a ghost that was invisible and solid, but it could be possible. Hermione would probably know. There was another pause before the man did another nod followed by a head shake. Harry frowned as he thought that over. Kind of a ghost? And he could do magic…sort of. Harry had no idea. 

“What kind of magic can you do?” Harry felt the figure smile before his face pulled away. It seemed like he had taken a slight step back, but somehow Harry could still sense he was close.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their 'conversation' continues.

Jack was practically humming with excitement. Harry, this amazing boy, kept touching and talking to him. Jack didn’t remember ever feeling so totally absorbed in an interaction with another person. It was as if every fiber of his being were hanging on Harry’s every move. Dang, he was in trouble. It seemed like Harry knowing about him was maybe ok though, or else Harry wouldn’t have been able to sense him at all, Jack reasoned to himself. Whatever force set up the rules, whether it was the moon or some power even greater than him, Jack was pretty sure that if Harry wasn’t supposed to sense him he wouldn’t be able to, just like everyone else.

Harry running his warm hands over his body would be emblazoned into his memory forever. He was very glad that Harry hadn't felt the need to check everywhere for weapons or Jack would have died on the spot, despite his immortality, because the first time he had an erection touched by another person would be a mistake by the guy who seemed to be the incarnation of all his fantasies combined.

Now it was his chance to show off a little. Harry had asked to see his magic, and although Jack didn’t have a wizard’s range of powers, he was good at what he did. After thinking for a moment Jack smiled to himself had raised his hand. White swirling frost twirled in a fragile mist from his palm. The mist faded revealing a perfect rose of ice etched with delicate swirling fractals. He held the rose out to the teen and was gratified to see a slight red tint spread across perfect cheekbones. Harry held his hand out at gently touched one shimmering petal. At the touch, Jack snapped and a light snowfall started falling around them. Harry looked up and smiled, oversized snowflakes catching in his dark eyelashes.

“Snow and ice? You control snow and ice?” Jack sent a playful just of wind around the teen’s neck making his hair flutter and making the boy giggle, as it tickled behind his ears. He promptly covered his mouth with his hand, with wide horrified eye looking Jack’s direction, “You did not just hear that.”

Jack cackled with laughter, “Yes I did!”

“Shut up, I know you are laughing again aren’t you?” the boy had a wide grin on his face, “I wish I could hear you? This is creepy...I mean this situation is creepy...not so much you. Although maybe I should think you are creepy. Why are you in my house anyway? Darn, not being able to talk to you is annoying.”

Jack was hit with a sudden wave of inspiration, although he would miss Harry’s hands-on him they needed a more fluid way to communicate. With a wave of his hand, he conjured a clear ice vase in which he placed the rose. Then, with a silent thank you to Sandy for the idea, Jack raised his hand above his head and formed a glimmering ice bubble with a house inside. 

Harry was staring at the image in confusion. Jack frowned and allowed the image to fade away. Next, he tried a little stick figure man beating on a wall then showed the bubble and house again. 

Jack saw the moment that understanding dawned in emerald eyes, “Oh! Oh, that was brilliant! You got stuck in my shield, was that it?”

Jack beamed and formed a thumbs up.

Harry laughed and the sound made warmth radiate through Jack’s chest. “This is kinda fun, like playing charades or something. Sorry about trapping you, mate. So what are you? Can you write it out?”

Jack tried to spell out a word in his frost, but it was blocked. This had happened before. He was not able to write notes either. Instead, he formed a frowny face.

“Aw, guess not. It is ok. We can make your pictures work. Do you think you can show me what you are if you are not a ghost, or a wizard, or a human?”

Jack thought about that. He was a Guardian, but that wouldn’t mean anything to Harry, and he wasn’t sure how to impart that anyway. He could try to explain his whole story in pictures, but that would take forever. No wonder Sandy got frustrated with this, and he had already had a millennia to practice! Jack settled on forming an image of children sledding and skating, with a stick figure of himself floating around them sending little gusts of ice crystals to catch them as they slipped and stumbled. Harry laughed again as the figures broke into a snowball fight, with Jack’s miniature creating piles of snowballs next to the smallest kid. It was hard to control so many moving pieces, but Jack forced himself to focus.

“So you play with kids?” Harry asked still smiling, Jack really liked his smile.

The scene disappeared and reformed into a thumbs up. Then he moved on to showing more kids, this time huddled together with a few ghosts and monsters creeping towards them. Then Jack flew his own figure in holding up a large shield and keeping away the monsters.

Harry cocked his head studying the scene, that started to dissolve around the edges as Jack got distracted by how cute Harry looked when puzzling something out. “Um, you fight magical creatures?”

“Not quite…” Jack said, forming a flat hand and tilting it side to side.

“Ok, so kind of again…” Harry thought and Jack reformed the scene without the monsters and enlarging the shield he held. “...you protect children?”

Jack beamed, Harry was sharp. 

*Thumbs up!*

“Is that why you were here? Because of Teddy?”

*So-So hand* Jack then formed his stick figure floating among frosty clouds and then a swirling vortex sucking him out of the sky.

“Oh, so that was my bad too.” Harry looked so apologetic Jack moved back towards him and patted his shoulder comfortingly forming a smiley face in the air. Harry didn’t even startle at the touch, he just smiled up in the general direction of Jack’s face. The teen reached up, found Jack’s hand and tugged him behind as he headed toward the couch.

“Alright,” he said, making himself comfortable and pulling Jack down beside him, “Now that I feel like you aren’t about to go on a murderous rampage let’s get this started properly. Nice to meet you, I am Harry Potter.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is short, so I will post another chapter later today!

Harry had never done drugs, never really had the opportunity, but if he were to imagine what it felt like being high it would be how he felt now. He had experienced enough mind-altering magic to recognize that his mind was his own, but it was like his senses had suddenly been amplified and he was hyperaware of every sensation in his body. Every heartbeat was like a hammer in his chest. His fingers felt all tingly and he could feel heat dancing right below the surface of his skin. He was especially aware of where his hand wrapped around cool smooth skin. 

Harry realized that he probably should be releasing his mysterious guest’s hand, but he found the weight of it comforting. His mind was also buzzing with the fact that the hand hadn’t pulled away yet either...in fact, it seemed to be holding on a bit. Harry was probably reading more into it than he needed to, or should be, but it made his skin feel even warmer. Merlin, he hoped he wasn’t blushing! He really shouldn’t be blushing. He should be freaking out that there was an invisible stranger just hanging around his house! Yet, Harry felt perfectly comfortable sitting on his couch in just his sleep-pants holding an invisible stranger’s hand. Even more so than he normally did when meeting a new person.

Normally Harry was overly cautious, worrying about people’s motives for befriending him, worrying about their allegiances, worrying about their history, worrying about their intentions towards his loved ones. He knew he was overly paranoid, but he had been the victim of two assassination attempts, four ridiculously unfounded lawsuits, and twelve claims of impregnating young witches. As if he would even touch a witch, they had the completely wrong bits for him. 

Mystery Bloke, however, seemed to have all the right bits. Harry remembered running his hands all over cool, lean limbs and that firm chest...yeah definitely a bloke. A fit bloke. Harry gave his head a shake. He didn’t know why his mind was going down that path. He couldn’t even see the man, for fuck sake! He had no idea if he was even telling the truth about what he was. Hell, he didn’t even know his name! He should not be fantasizing about long cool fingers, or the feeling of that wide, full mouth against his fingertips. The man’s breath had been cold, did that mean that his mouth would be cold? 

‘Stop Brain!’ Harry chided himself, ‘Look you are sitting here like an idiot just holding his hand! Say something instead of fantasizing!’

“You're a bloke, right?” ‘God damn it, Brain!’

*Thumbs up*

“So you play and protect children, is that like your idea of fun or is it an actual job? Wait do you have an employer?! Are there like hundreds of invisible men wandering around all the time? This is just like when I was eleven and learned about the wizarding world. I wonder if there are other hidden areas and people just living their normal lives unaware that we all inhabit the same place!” The hand Harry was holding was shaking a little and Harry shifted to that his shoulder bumped the other and he should feel the shaking more intensely there, “You're laughing at me again!”

*Thumbs up*

Harry pouted, “You can’t blame me for being curious. It isn’t like you meet invisible folks every day.”

The hand released his and moved up to pat his shoulder comfortingly. The two of them were now sitting very snuggly together, pressed together from knee to shoulder. Harry needed to distract himself from the warmth growing low in his stomach. 

“In the future, I will try to stick to simple questions until we get better at communicating.”

*Thumbs up*

“I need to call you something in my head, you have a name right?”

*Thumbs up*

“John?”

*Thumbs down*

“Robert?”

*Thumbs down*

“Bill?”

*Thumbs down*

“Charlie?”

*Thumbs down*

“Fred?”

*Thumbs down*

Harry realized he had reverted to just naming off the Weasleys. “Well, that is not going to work. Your name is probably something old-timey and weird anyway...like Eustace or something.”

*Giant thumbs down* and Jack bumped his shoulder in indignation.

Harry laughed and pushed back, “Ok, so not Eustace! But is it something weird that I am never going to guess?”

*Thumbs down*

Harry perked up at that, “Oh, so I have a chance of figuring it out?”

*Thumbs up*

“That is awesome,” Harry had to pause to stifle a yawn, “I should grab that baby name book from Ms. Weasley tomorrow and we can go through it.”

*Thumbs up* Then a hand rubbed his shoulder, *Clock* *Bed*

“Yeah, bed sounds good.” Then the bottom fell out of Harry’s stomach as he thought of something, “Do you want me to lower the wards so you can leave?”

It should have occurred to him sooner, that he had basically trapped this guy in his house! And the worst part was Harry really didn’t want to let him go. How ridiculous was that?! 

The cool fingers tightened around Harry’s briefly. *Stick figure with a crook (Which Harry now recognized as his mystery man’s interpretation of himself)* *Doorway* *Giant boot kicking figure thorough doorway* *Question mark*

“No, no!” Harry spluttered, “I am not kicking you out! I mean, do you want to stay?”

The hand pulled Harry’s back to the guy’s face to feel him nodding. Harry’s breath hitched as his fingers grazed against the smooth skin of the other’s jaw. He didn’t pull his hand back right away, but he noticed that the man didn’t remove his from where he was gently holding Harry against his cheek. It probably should have felt awkward and weird, but Harry just felt warm and giddy.

“So do you want to go to bed?” Crap, why had his voice deepened like that, “I mean, do you sleep, whatever you are?”

Harry could feel the guy’s cheek tighten in a wide smile and he was so tempted to ghost his fingers over those lips. It took him a moment to notice a *So-so* hand hovering in the air.

“You kind of sleep? Like as in sometimes…?”

*Thumbs up.*

“Well, come on then. I will show you the guest room.” Harry detangled himself from the sofa and stood. He momentarily debated letting go of the guy’s hand, but then decided that it was the easiest way to keep track of him, so just tugged him along behind him. It was impossible to tell for sure, but Harry had the odd feeling the guy was laughing again.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As promised, second chapter of the day!

The room was small, but cozy, much like the rest of the house. It held a double bed with a quilt that looked hand made and soft. Jack couldn’t remember the last time he slept in a real bed. He didn’t actually need to sleep, but it was nice to reset occasionally, but he normally did that in a tree or a particularly comfy snowbank. If he went without sleep for too long he would start getting a bit manic. Perfect example: Tooth. She would get so caught up in her work she wouldn’t sleep for years and it resulted in her hyperactivity and inability to follow one train of thought for too long. At least she had all her helpers to keep her on track. Sandy, now that guy had his sleep patterns down to a science. He would time his sleep cycles so that whenever he was over either the Pacific or Atlantic Oceans he could knock himself out for the exact amount of time until nightfall hit the next shore. 

“The bathroom is right across the hall, please feel free to help yourself to anything you need. I know we don’t have the most luxurious set up here, but it suits us alright. But if there is anything that you want, just let me know. I mean I know that you are a god of snow or whatever, but if you need more blankets or a hot water bottle or anything at all. I am a wizard you know so it’s not like it is any trouble…” Jack smiled at the teen’s nervous stream of chatter. Lord, the boy was adorable. He also didn’t seem to mind Jack’s touches which thrilled the spirit. Jack had never realized just what a tactile person he was until now. Just sitting next to Harry was going to be addicting. He already missed the warmth of the wizard pressed against his side. 

Jack held a finger to the boy’s lips, halting his delightful prattle. He formed a bullseye and then an arrow hitting it dead center. *Perfect*

It took Harry a moment to get the message, but Jack saw the understanding bloom in his eyes. Jack liked that, how expressive the boy’s features were. 

“Ok, so you are good.”

*Thumbs up*

“Awesome, I will just go and let you rest then.” He didn’t move. He didn’t pull away from where Jack was still holding his hand. Jack could see the pulse beating at the base of Harry’s neck, it matched the pulse thrumming through his own body. Jack felt that he had done an admirable job not ogling the boy’s mostly bare form when they had been snuggled on the sofa. He had valiantly tried to keep his eyes above the neck, and although he had slipped a few times, he had mostly been successful. Now, however, he was starting to lose the battle. His eyes were drawn to Harry’s flat stomach, and surprisingly sturdy-looking shoulders and chest. He had just the slightest sprinkling of hair and Jack wondered if that continued lower. What would it feel like? Jack was hairless, except for what was on his head. He didn’t know if it was just a fluke of this transformation into a spirit, or if he had been that way beforehand, he couldn’t remember. He didn’t have much of a reason to have vivid memories of his own body hair, he had been quite innocent before he died. Growing up in a small town in the 1700s didn’t lead to much experimentation. The memories that he did have were of hasty masturbation sessions hidden under blankets in the open loft of their small cabin, or his hand shoved down his pants deep in the woods when he could be sure he was alone. 

Now was not a good time to be thinking of masturbation. He was having a hard time focusing as it was. Jack knew he should let go and move away, give them both some breathing room. Jack pulled Harry's hand up to his lips and kissed his knuckles. Sending him an image of a figure tucked in a bed with little stars and moons dancing above their head. *Sweet dreams*

Harry blushed beautifully, “Good night.”

Then he was gone and Jack jumped up in glee, flipping backward, and then floating gently down onto the soft bed, hands clasped lightly behind his head. It was the same position he had been in a few hours ago, just before he was sucked down to earth. It felt like a lifetime had passed in those few hours. The despondency that had been threatening to consume him was a distant memory. Jack felt infused with life. Everything was vibrant and full of promise. He knew he was being ridiculous. He knew that even if he could find a way to communicate with Harry, even if they could overcome all the challenges that may face them and have some sort of relationship, that it could only be fleeting. Harry was a mortal wizard and Jack an immortal spirit after all. But right now Jack didn’t give a fuck. He wanted to be selfish. He wanted Harry.

Judging by Harry’s reactions Jack wasn’t alone in his feelings. By some miracle, Harry not only could feel him, but was at least slightly...attracted to him in some way. Jack wasn’t quite sure why or how since Harry couldn’t see him, but he couldn’t be misinterpreting all the lingering touches and blushes, right? 

There was just something special about Harry, and Jack was not going to miss this opportunity.

Jack snuggled down in the bed. He knew there was no chance he was going to sleep. He was way too excited by all the possibilities that lay before him. He wondered if that name book Harry mentioned would work. If maybe when Harry found out his name he would be able to see and hear him. He already believed that he existed as a being...how specific would they need to get? Jack needed Harry to see him. He needed to be able to ask him if it would be ok to kiss him. He needed to be able to tell him all about himself and learn about Harry in return. He needed to know Harry. He had never felt a pull like this, like every fiber of his being was being drawn toward the other boy. It was almost frightening in its intensity.

Jack rolled over to his side, trying not to think of the fact that Harry was only a few yards away on the other side of a wall. Jack wondered if Harry was sleeping yet, or if he was up thinking of Jack. Maybe he was doing more than thinking. Maybe he was doing something about the arousal that Jack had seen building in his eyes as the night went on. 

The image came unbidden to Jack’s mind. Harry sprawled on a bed, legs splayed apart, a hand reaching down into those damnable sleep-pants that had been the torment of Jack’s evening. They covered entirely too little, but entirely too much at the same time. Jack wondered how Harry liked to touch himself. Did he take his time and tease himself? Or did he take himself in hand, moving hard and fast, biting his lip at the intensity of sensation? Maybe he would stop just as he got close to the edge and hold himself there, not quite letting himself fall over that edge. Maybe he would strain to listen for noises coming through the wall, noises of bedsprings creaking, of the wet slap and slide of skin on skin. Maybe he would picture Jack laying there doing the same thing. And maybe he would have to bite his fist to keep from crying out as that thought broke his control and had him spilling inside his boxers.

Jack hadn’t even noticed when he had rolled the rest of the way over, rutting against the mattress. He groaned and sped up his movements, too far gone now to worry about the propriety of getting off to the image of his gracious host while sleeping in his guest room. When Jack felt his body tense with release, for once it wasn’t followed by a wave of loneliness. Instead, he felt warm and relaxed. He curled up, heedless of the drying mess in his pants, and drifted into a contented sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to wake up!

It was rare for Harry to wake up feeling warm and peaceful, but as dim light started to filter in through his window he felt just that. He lay in bed for a few minutes, trying to ignore the press of a very full bladder and just enjoy the novel sensation of peace. The small cry of Teddy waking echoing through the house pushed Harry into movement. He cut the monitoring charm off with the flick of his fingers and ran to the bathroom. 

He had learned quickly that, when parenting, you pee first and then get the baby. Trying to do it the other way round only leads to grumpy babies wailing on bathroom floors while you try valiantly to hush them and pee at the same time. Either way you felt guilty, so might as well pee first so at least you aren't in pain while changing the first-morning diaper. Harry rushed through using the bathroom and cast a quick freshening charm in his mouth. He would brush his teeth and shower later when Teddy was changed and fed. 

Harry trotted into Teddy’s room expecting to be greeted by a pouting toddler for making him wait for all of two minutes. Instead, Teddy was laughing uproariously as his stuffed dragon (a birthday present from Draco) zoomed through the air. For one brief moment, Harry thought that his godson was showing some serious skill with accidental magic. Then Harry saw the little trails of snow fluttering in the dragon's wake and remembered.

Oh Merlin, how had he not remembered his mysterious guest? He had all he could think about as he had been falling asleep. He had been so sexually frustrated as he tossed and turned. All he had wanted to do was shuck his boxers and jerk-off furiously. But knowing that the house guest he was lusting over was invisible and could possibly move more stealthily than Harry could, even with his invisibility cloak, did not seem like a good idea. And yet the thought that the man could be standing there watching Harry had made him even harder under the sheets. He had managed to hold off for a good hour, which he thought was admirable considering how wound up he was. Then with a groan of defeat, he had reached beneath the sheets to where his neglected erection was straining at the front of his boxers.

Harry closed his eyes and focused on the memory of cool skin pressed against his own. The man had been wearing long sleeves, but Harry imagined acres of exposed smooth skin pressed up against his own heated flesh. Those clever long fingers trailing over Harry’s most intimate areas. Harry reached his other hand behind him, probing where he had never dared let another person. He imagined offering himself for the first time to this stranger, feeling cool hardness instead of his warm fingers. Harry hadn’t lasted long after that. He lay boneless for a few minutes before forcing himself out of bed and switching out his soiled boxers for clean ones and adding a pair of loose sleep pants and a thin cotton shirt. With a sigh of comfort, he crawled back between his sheets, all loose-limbed and relaxed and fell into a deep sleep.

Now, Harry had will himself not to blush as he remembered his solo activities the night before. “Good morning,” He called to the ceiling, plucking the laughing Teddy from his crib.

A glittering smiley face appeared in mid-air.

“Did you sleep well?” Harry asked, stripping Teddy down and expertly exchanging his wet nappy for a new one. 

This time a thumbs up materialized right next to Harry, and his senses prickled as if picking up on the other’s presence. He wanted to reach out and feel if indeed the man was right behind him. Harry resisted the urge, snapping his fingers instead to vanish the soiled nappy. He then gestured to the closet and summoned a set of corduroy overalls and a shirt for Teddy. He felt a tap on his shoulder and looked over to see the image of a stick followed by a question mark.

“Huh?” He asked, wrangling the toddler, who was trying to grab for the sparkling images, into his clothes.

The image shifted to a stick figure holding the stick, that was now obviously a wand, and then a question mark. 

“Oh, I see.” Harry hoisted the now dressed Teddy down, “I don’t really need a wand. I mostly only use it for show since lots of wizards aren’t comfortable with a lot of wandless magic.”

Teddy was now holding the dragon toy and pretending to fly it about as he ran around the room. Then to Harry’s surprise he stopped in front of the space next to Harry and raised his little arm out in the universal gesture of asking to be picked up, except instead of holding his arms out to Harry, he was holding them up about a meter away. Harry actually felt his mouth fall open as he watched Teddy give his puppy dog eyes too thin air.

“Wait, wait, wait...can Teddy see you?!”

*Thumbs up*

“Can all kids see you?” 

*Thumbs down*

“Why can Teddy see you?”

*So-so hand* *Question mark*

“You kinda don’t know?... Oh, you don’t know, but you have an idea?”

*Thumbs up* *Stick figure picking up kid* *Question mark*

“Sure, you can carry him,” Harry answered, trying to convince himself that he didn’t feel jealous of his own godson for being able to see the man.

Teddy gave a shriek of delight as he was plucked up into the air and spun around. His hair flashed a happy orange as he was settled on an invisible hip. He was looking avidly at one place slightly above him and Harry realized he was listening. It only made sense that if Teddy could see him he could hear him too, but somehow it hadn’t registered with Harry and it came as another stab of jealousy. Teddy’s grin grew wider and his eyes and hair changed again, morphing to pure white and crystal blue again. Harry recalled him doing the same thing twice last night. 

Teddy didn’t talk yet, which had Harry a little concerned. But he did communicate through his morphing. Harry could read him pretty well at this point, but he had never seen this particular color combination before. He also had a tendency to mimic people he found interesting, which probably meant… “Is that what you look like?

*Thumbs up*

Harry added the coloring to his general impression of the man based on the mapping done with his hands. In general, it was a very nice impression. “I guess it makes sense with the whole snow god thing.”

Harry felt a small flick to his nose and laughed, “Oi, what not a god?”

*Arrow pointing at Harry* *Shooting Star*

“I’m a star?...”

*Thumbs down*

“Uhh...Didn’t get that one, mate.” Harry said with a slightly sad smile. The man leaned against his side and shrugged. Harry enjoyed the comfortable, cool weight of him. “Do you eat?”

Another shrug and *So-so*.

“So I guess it is kind of like sleep for you. You can eat but you don’t really have to?”

*Thumbs up*

“Cool. So would you like breakfast? Teddy and I normally do scrambled eggs and bacon, since this guy is obsessed with bacon. But I can fix just about anything you like. Oh, I could do with some french toast! Do you like french toast? I can do french toast, eggs, and bacon...because seriously Teddy will flip if there is no bacon.”

*Thumbs up* and Harry could feel the guy shaking with suppressed laughter...or possibly outright laughter, it was hard to tell when you couldn’t hear. Harry was tempted to bring a hand up to the guy's mouth again to see but resisted.

“Alright, let’s go eat then!”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack meets Hermione.

The morning spent with Harry and Teddy was absolute perfection for Jack. They had laughed and played around throughout breakfast and playtime with Teddy. Jack was pleased to discover that Harry not only enjoyed the little pranks that Jack played but also was skilled at retaliating in kind. Jack may have started it by freezing Harry’s orange juice solid just as he was about to have a sip, but without even blinking Harry had raised his eyebrows and the Bacon on Jack’s plate started to slither away in an attempt to escape. Evidently, Harry had noticed that Teddy was not to only one at the table with a fondness of Bacon. Jack grabbed up his fork and scrambled to capture the squirming strips of meat.

Harry, it turned out, was an amazing cook. Jack didn’t need to eat, in fact, he couldn’t remember the last time he sat down to a real meal. He occasionally swiped cookies at North's place, but that was about it these days. As soon as Harry had set the steaming mountain of food in front of Jack the spirit had suddenly remembered what hunger was and dove into the food like he hadn't eaten in years...which wasn’t an exaggeration. Teddy approached his food with even more enthusiasm and soon his side of the table, that had a little baby chair snapped to it, was a disaster zone of scrambled eggs, syrup, and bits of french toast. Although Jack noticed not a scrap of bacon was wasted in the chaos. Nope, all of that found its way immediately into the toddler's mouth. 

After breakfast, they had playtime in the living room, which quickly turned into a Harry-Jack competition in who could make Teddy laugh more all the while messing with each other's attempts. Harry built a block tower to the ceiling and Jack would knock it down with an ice dragon that would then tickle Teddy with its icy fire breath. Jack create a slide of ice for Teddy to zoom down and Harry would enchant it to land into a pit of balls. Jack didn’t think he had felt so relaxed in forever. 

It really was perfect, or well it would have been in Harry could see and hear him. But it was still wonderful just being part of something so simple and sweet. 

Harry had just run upstairs to have a quick shower and change out of his pajamas. Jack felt warmth bloom in his chest that Harry trusted him to be left alone with his adopted son. Jack had pieced together that Teddy’s parents had died soon after Teddy had been born and Harry had been raising him ever since. Many would have considered the teen to young to raise a child, but Jack could see how happy and well cared for Teddy was. It made the events of the night before even more enraging. What kind of people would do that? Jack was determined to find out more information and find a way to help.

Just as Jack was galloping around the room with Teddy perched on his shoulders, the fireplace flared green and the bushy-haired girl from the night before emerged with a book in her hands. Jack froze as her eyes immediately focused on him, or well right above him to where Teddy was seated. Her eyes widened and she glanced around the room looking.

“Harry?” She asked uncertainly.

The only response she received was a delighted laugh from the toddler, who pulled at Jack’s hair obviously wanting to get back on the move. 

“Harry?!” She called louder this time and a thump came from upstairs followed by the sound of Harry hurrying down the stairs. 

“Hi, Hermione!” He smiled finishing pulling a t-shirt over his head. Jack tried not to fixate on the sight of his abs as the shirt was lowered. ‘Stop drooling!’ He ordered himself.

“Why is Teddy floating around the living room unattended?” Her question was puzzled, but not accusatory. Obviously, she trusted Harry to have a reasonable explanation.

Harry scratched the back of his head adorably, “Umm, well, that will take some explaining...but I guess the short answer is he is playing with his invisible friend.”

Hermione, what a mouthful that name was, just raised her eyebrows, obviously not satisfied with that answer. “Ok, let’s sit down and I will explain. Want me to make some tea?”

Jack slipped Teddy off his shoulders and plunked him down next to his toy kitchen set. ‘There you go little man, you cook me some bacon ok? Carrying you around has made me hungry!’ Teddy grabbed a small metal pan and was quickly engaged with the toys and Jack backed away vaulting over the back of the sofa to sit next to Harry. Harry smiled at him as he felt the cool weight settle in next to him and Jack reached over and squeezed his hand. Harry smiled wider and Jack beamed, not that anyone could see it.

“Ok Harry, you are starting to freak me out.” 

Harry immediately turned back to the brunette, although his fingers separated invitingly so that Jack’s could slot in between his. Jack’s heart did a flip in his chest. He was sure this meant that Harry had some feelings for him. Surely it wasn’t just Jack’s wishful thinking interpreting all these small gestures the wrong way.

“Alright, so last night after you left I discovered that when I created the new ward to keep out the ministry yesterday I accidentally trapped some sort of winter spirit inside.” Harry gestured to the spot where Jack was sitting. “I know it is weird, but I guess we should be used to that by now, right?”

Hermione was silent for a few moments, studying the empty space where Jack was sitting. Jack decided to take some initiative and formed a hand that waved. She jumped a little, her brow furrowing. 

“That is how he talks, well I think he can talk properly but we just can hear him, just like we can’t see him. He can hear us though, and we have worked out a kind of sign language system that works alright for the basics.”

“Harry, this seems very improbable. How do you know it’s not some elaborate trap by a Death Eater or something?!” She hissed.

Harry sighed a little, “Honestly, I don’t know but I just trust him, you know? I mean, if he wanted to harm me he had plenty of opportunities for it. He was here all last night.”

‘I would never hurt him!’ Jack proclaimed silently to the room.

“Harry, you don’t trust anybody...you don’t even take Teddy out in large crowds.” She looked a bit worried now. Jack could only imagine the possibilities going through her head. He wasn’t insulted at all. She just wanted to protect her friend. 

“I know, believe me, I know how weird this must seem, but it’s like we have some sort of...connection.” Harry was blushing furiously by the end of this statement and Jack wanted to crow in elation. He knew Harry felt something! He squeezed Harry’s hand again and those bright green eyes flashed up to where Jack’s face was hidden from their view. “You feel it too?”

‘Of course, I do you dolt. What do you think all this touchy-feely ness is about?’ Jack laughed with another squeeze and a thumbs up. Harry’s smile nearly split his face it was so big. 

“Oh lord, Harry only you would fall for a ghost.” Hermione sighed, “Are you sure he hasn’t drugged you or tampered with your mind.”

Harry turned back to her, “I don’t think he is a ghost...per se...and no. I am immune to mind control tricks. Remember the love potion fiasco with Ginny?”

Hermione still looked worried, “I know, but surely there could be something that may still affect you even after…”

“Feel free to test me for anything you can think of, but I highly doubt there will be anything...the hallows you know.” Hermione nodded in understanding, although Jack had no idea what he was referring to.

“Yeah, but you can never be too careful.” 

“I agree, so go ahead.”

Jack formed a thumbs up, just so they were aware Harry had his support.

In an obvious bid to change the conversation Hermione handed over the book she had been carrying and held it out, “I grabbed this from Molly on my way over like your owl asked. What do you need a baby book for?”

Harry beamed and grabbed the book from her, “I was hoping that I can figure out his name.”

He flipped to the boy's name section and Hermione frowned slightly, “Harry are you sure it is a boy?”

Harry blushed again, “Um, yes, I am quite sure.”

“Harry you didn’t!”

“No, no, no!” His face was bright red and he held his hands out, “I just patted him down to make sure he didn’t have any weapons or anything.”

Hermione looked a cross between amused and concerned, but didn’t say anything as Harry placed the book on the table in front of Jack and asked, “Can you find your name?”

Jack reached out, happy when the book felt solid between his fingers. He flipped the pages to the “J’s” and then grabbing Harry’s hand moved his finger down the rows of names before resting on the correct name.

“Jack.” Harry said, “Your name is Jack?”

Jack squeezed his hand and formed a thumbs up mostly for the girl’s benefit. 

“Jack?” Hermione added, “That is not the kind of name I was expecting of a spirit...Oh wait, Harry, you said he is a winter spirit!”

“Well, he can control ice and snow and wind and stuff…”

“Do you remember studying Norse Magic in History of Magic?”

At Harry’s blank stare, she huffed.

“Did nobody pay attention in that class but me?!”

“Nobody could stay awake but you.”

She huffed again, “Well the Norse Wizards and Witches were very in tune with natural forces. They recorded their interactions with many of the elemental spirits, ones that we have no way of interacting with since we live in different planes of reality…” She looked up and noticed the glazed over look starting to creep over Harry’s eyes, “Anyway, one of the spirits that is well documented is a winter spirit called Jokul Frosti.”

Jack perked up at that. Jokul Frosti was his predecessor. According to some of the other elementals he had had a bit of a temper and had been a bit of a downer at parties. No one was quite sure what had happened to him, but evidently, he just up and vanished and then a few decades later Jack appeared. Before Jack knew of his past he had thought he was possibly just a reincarnation of this old Jokul, but now that he knew his name had once been Jack Overland, maybe the similarity in their first names was just a coincidence...or maybe the moon just had a sense of humor. 

Hermione turned to the empty space where Jack sat and spoke directly to him for the first time, “Is that you, Jokul Frosti?”

Jack formed a tilting hand, then a thumbs down. ‘It is amazing how close you got with that one!’ He smiled to himself, ‘Harry, you should keep her around more often. Well, I guess since she has been here twice in the less than 24 hours since I have been here she has been around quite a lot.’

Both of them were looking at him, now with open mouths. ‘What? Do I have something on my face?’ He giggled to himself at his own joke.

“I can’t tell, I still can’t see your face.”

‘Well, of course, you can’t, I am…. Wait, what?’

“I can’t tell if there is something on your face,” Harry repeated, his face slowly forming into a grin, “I still can’t see you, but….”

“You can hear me! Seriously! You can hear me?!” Jack was practically bouncing in his seat, well actually there was no ‘practically’ about it, he was bouncing.

“Yes, I can hear you!” Harry was grinning like a loon by this point.

Jack jumped to his feet and pulled Harry into a hug and felt his heart thump madly as the boy squeezed him back. Jack didn’t want to let go, but a giggle and a tug at his leg alerted him to a visitor. All the commotion had brought Teddy over and with a laugh, Jack scooped him up as they all collapsed back into a happy pile on the couch.

Teddy gave a yawn and curled up half on each of the men and popped a thumb in his mouth as his eyes began to drift shut. 

“Why can we hear you now?” Hermione asked.

“It has something to do with my name. With belief…” Jack’s throat closed up a bit involuntarily, evidently, he couldn’t explain more deeply than that, he mentally cursed the moon. “It is complicated, and I physically can not explain more. I have certain restrictions on me.”

Hermione’s eyes narrowed, “What kind of restrictions?”

“I am not in control of who can hear me, or touch me, or see me. Or what I can touch for that matter. And it is always changing.”

“Wait,” Harry interrupted, “People can see you?”

“Not often, well actually never until a few months ago, but that is because…” his voice stopped again, “Well I guess I can’t explain that either…” He sighed.

Harry groped around and found his hand and gave it a squeeze. “It is ok, we will figure it out as we go.”

“I am just happy you can hear me, this will make things so much easier. I am no good at signs! Sandy makes it look so easy!”

“Who is Sandy?” Hermione asked.

Jack tried a few times before finding words he could actually say, “He is a friend.”

“Is he a spirit too?”

“Yes, we are both…we protect children.”

“How many of you are there? Can you all interact with humans? How long have you been around for?”

“Hermione! This is not an interview.” Harry chided as Hermione pulled a notebook out of a pocket.

Hermione looked apologetic as she put away the notebook. She still grilled him for another few minutes before she was more assured that his arrival was an accident and he didn’t seem malicious. 

The fire flared green and the head of the red-headed boy, Ron, appeared.

“Hermione, Luna just sent an owl asking if you were ‘done discussing the weather' if you were ready to go shopping.’”

Hermione’s eyes grew round, “I completely forgot we were supposed to go wedding dress shopping! Blast, I have to run, see you later Harry, nice to meet you Jokul.”

“Actually it is just Jack. Jokul came before me.”

With a slight nod, she disappeared into the fire with a shout, leaving Jack and Harry alone on the couch with just a sleeping toddler between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am pretty much done writing this fic. I have 11 more chapters ready to be posted, so will post one every day to every other day. I only have about 1-2 more chapters to wrap everything up. My goal was to stop at 20 chapters, but it looks like it will be about 23. 
> 
> I have a lot of time on my hands right now since I am living in China and mostly home bound until my company sends us back to work. All the concern over the virus is winding down here so my time will dry up soon and I want to get this all posted before real life distracts me!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A first kiss...and maybe more...

Harry felt a warm, nervous buzzing tingling beneath his skin as silence filled the room after Hermione’s departure. “So, I am just going to tuck Teddy into his crib, I will be right back.”

“Ok, Harry.” Jack saying his name made a shiver of delight travel down Harry’s spine. Harry carried the sleeping baby up to his room, taking a few extra minutes to compose himself before he descended the stairs. The sense of anticipation grew with each step. He and Jack had their first opportunity to have a real talk, and Harry was both excited and terrified. What if the chemistry that had seemed to ignite between them no longer clicked? Everything had felt so right, he didn’t want it to change. 

“Jack?” He called out, wondering if the spirit was still lounging on the sofa.

“Here!” Jack’s voice was once again near the bookshelf that Harry had found him at the night before. As Harry approached he could see a few of the little nicknacks shifting around as Jack studied them. “Is this really you flying?”

The memory crystal that Draco had given him as a peace offering a few years ago was floating in the air again. It was Draco’s memory of a quidditch match, just when Harry had caught the snitch. Harry nodded, “Back when I was in school.”

“You can still do it?”

“Yeah, I try to get up a few times a week, whenever Molly watches Teddy. Molly is Ron’s mum.”

“I would love to fly with you, you look amazing.” 

Harry could feel his face heat, “Umm, yeah, that would be awesome.”

The ball was placed back on the shelf and cool fingers enveloped Harry’s. His heart was pounding in his ears and that tingling beneath his skin was back...or maybe it never left. Harry couldn’t tell anymore. “Harry, I really want to kiss you, but as much as it pains me to say, I think we need to talk first.”

Harry swallowed hard, “We could talk after…”

Jack’s warm laughter filled the room, “As you wish.”

Harry was pulled forward by strong hands until he was completely enveloped in the cool embrace. Harry wound his arms up around Jack’s neck, his fingers threading through smooth locks. Harry felt Jack bend forward resting their cheeks together, before turning their faces together so their lips softly met. Harry’s body trembled and tightened as the kiss grew deeper and he closed his eyes so he could just feel as he just came undone. He couldn’t focus. The entire world just consisted of cold and heat and friction and need. Somehow they had spun and Jack now had Harry pressed against the wall as their hips came in contact and both boys groaned into the suddenly scorching kiss. Harry felt about to combust. It was more than anything he could have ever imagined. 

Jack pulled his lips away, panting harshly as he nibbled down Harry’s neck. “Harry…you...are amazing.”

He thrust his hips forward again, the heat coiling tighter in Harry’s core. All Harry could do was moan, arching back against the wall wanting more but not knowing if he could stand it.

“You taste...divine. I...want to...see you...come undone. Oh, come on...come beautiful boy.”

And with those words in his ears, Harry couldn’t hold back anymore. With a loud groan, he came apart in Jack’s arms. Jack bit down hard on his shoulder and his body tensed as he followed his Harry over the edge.

“So that was a good first kiss,” Jack grinned against Harry’s sweaty locks. 

“No fucking way that was your first kiss,” Harry panted, with a playful push to Jack’s shoulder. 

Jack laughed, “Well I have witnessed a fair few, but never have I gotten to be a participant.”

Harry pulled his head up from where it had been resting on Jack’s shoulder then flopped it back down as if the motion was too much effort, “Seriously?”

“Cross my heart.”

“Well bloody hell, I wonder what we will be able to do with a bit of practice! Hold tight to me for a minute.”

Jack complied with the command instantly and the next thing that he knew they were no longer leaning up against the living room wall, but up in a bed, Harry sprawled bonelessly on top of him. 

“That is convenient,” Jack commented and Harry just hummed snuggling closer into Jack.

Jack smiled and relaxed into the soft bedding as a blanket was pulled up over them and a tingling sensation crawled briefly over his skin.

“What was that?”

“Cleansing Charm.”

Jack shifted his hips and realized that indeed his pants no longer seemed to cling grossly to him.

“So if that was your first kiss, that means you're a virgin?”

Jack coughed suddenly, making Harry giggled sleepily, “Umm, yeah...a 300-year-old virgin.” He admitted the sad truth, “There should be a movie.”

“Well, we can lose it together then.”

Jack blinked down at the angelic face pillowed on his chest, “You too?”

“Yuppp.” Harry said with a pop on the ‘p’, “Do you want to?”

“Now?!”

Harry giggled again, and Jack thought it was adorable, “No, when we are ready, but I mean together.”

Jack reached up and gently ran a finger down Harry’s cheek, “Harry, there would never be anyone else I would want to experience that with.”

Harry sighed happily, “Good. I plan on keeping you.”

“It is going to be complicated,” Jack warned.

Harry shrugged, “Life is complicated. Now shut up, Teddy will prolly be up in an hour and I want to get in a nap.”

Jack chuckled and contented himself with running his long fingers through Harry’s dark locks as the boy’s breaths started to get long and deep.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy wholesome goodness, with a splash of promise to come.
> 
> (Yes I know these guys are moving fast! I can't seem to get them to take it slow. These characters are growing minds of their own!)

It was only about twenty minutes later when he heard Teddy starting to stir. There must have been some sort of spell at work for Jack to be able to hear the blankets rustling from two rooms away. Jack smiled and wiggled himself out from under Harry’s sleeping form. He reached Teddy’s door just as the first sniffle sounded from the room.

“Hey Teddy,” Jack said as the toddler rubbed sleepily at his eyes, “Did you have a good sleep?”

Teddy’s hair turned a pale blue and his skin a warm honey. Jack took this to be a good sign and scooped up the boy. Almost immediately he recognized a very distinctive odor. 

“Oh no, you didn’t!” Jack groaned and Teddy giggled gleefully at Jack’s exaggerated melodrama. 

“Well I saw our Harry do this this morning, how hard can it be?” Teddy’s hair turned bright red and freckles bloomed across his cheeks.

Ten minutes, two diapers, and a new outfit later Jack admitted that maybe he had underestimated the difficulty level of the task. He knows the little outfit was not quite fastened properly, but all those snaps were impossible. But Teddy didn’t seem to mind that his clothes looked a little lopsided. “Alright buddy, shall we go play?”

Dark purple hair and a grumpy pout told Jack that, no Teddy didn’t want to play now.

“Want to read a book?”

The frown deepened.

“Umm,” the clang of a clock striking noon gave him a thought, “Food! You hungry, bud?”

A smile and bright yellow hair confirmed it and they were off to the kitchen. 

Harry smiled as he found his boys covered in flour sitting at the table enjoying some pancakes. He could actually tell where Jack was because of the floating bits of flour covering his person. In fact, he could almost see the outline of his shoulders...and it gave Harry an idea. With a whispered word he levitated the bag of flour over to where Jack was chatting with Teddy about the difference between snow and hail, and upended it over Jack’s head. Teddy squealed in delight as white clouds filled the air. 

Jack was laughing at the clouds cleared and he looked over at Harry smirking in the doorway.

“I let you sleep in, and this is the thanks I get!” Jack laughed.

Harry walked over and planted a kiss on powdery lips, “I just needed to know where to aim.” He said flicking Jack’s nose, “You have great bone structure by the way!.”

It took Jack a moment to realize what Harry was talking about, “Oh, you can see me like this?”

“A bit. The gaping voids for eyes are pretty creepy though.” Jack closed his eyes.

“This better?” 

“Wow, your eyelashes are amazing!” Harry bent in for another kiss, a bit deeper this time. 

Jack laughed again as they broke the kiss, “It tastes like making out with a loaf of bread though!”

Harry joined in the laughter, “At least it is sexy bread.”

“I don’t think sexy bread is a thing.”

“You have no imagination!” Harry chided. 

“Hey could you throw another one of those cleaning charms this way? I feel like this is going to make me start sneezing.”

Harry waved his hand and the flour vanished, “You sneeze?”

“Don’t you?”

“Well yeah, but I am not some immortal spirit.”

“So I should be above such things?” Jack laughed, “Well if you must know I sneeze and cough. Not as bad as Bunny though. He is so allergic to goldenrod it is ridiculous, and he is a spring spirit!”

“Bunny?”

“If you saw him the name would make sense. Well actually his name is Aster Bunnymund, but Bunny for short.”

Harry laughed and swiped the pile of pancakes waiting for him on the counter. “Pancakes for lunch?”

“I grew up 300 years ago, I wasn’t exactly in charge of the cooking at our house, that was my mum and sisters job, but even I could make a flapjack.”

“So you grew up in a real house, like you were a real person.”

“Yup, Jack Overland, at your service,” Jack said, “But then one day I fell through the ice of our frozen pond and the next thing I knew, I was an elemental ice spirit.”

“I died once.” Harry admitted, “We were fighting this really bad man and in order to win I had to let him kill me, so I did. Luckily it is harder to keep me dead than anyone thought.”

“How did that happen?”

“It is a long and involved story that even I don’t understand fully. I will tell you sometime though, maybe with a bit of firewhiskey involved. Hey, can you get drunk?”

Jack blinked, “You know I have never tried. I don’t quite know how my digestive system works. I don’t have to eat, but I can, and I don’t need to ever use the water closet as you Brits say.”

“Really? Like never?”

“Nope.”

“I am so jealous!” That made Jack almost fall out of his chair laughing, “What?! I am a gay male, I appreciate being clean in certain areas. I mean do you know how weird the ‘Alvum Mundi’ spell feels?!”

Harry shifted in his chair as he remembered that particular sensation. Jack was crying he was laughing so hard, “I thought you were still a virgin? Why would you even bother yet?”

Harry blushed, “Well you have to practice, and I may have some toys…”

Jack stopped laughing, “Toys?” His voice had deepened and rasped a little.

Harry could feel his blush deepening, “Don’t judge me!”

“Oh, believe me there is no room in my mind for judgment right now. Can I see?”

“Merlin, not now! Teddy is up.”

“Tonight?” Damn his voice was dripping sensuality. It made Harry remember how Jack had talked to him when he had had him pinned up against the wall. It was all commanding and dominant and everything Harry had ever craved.

“Yes.” Harry whispered breathily.

A hard kiss was pressed against his lips, “I need to go for a fly around the house to burn off some energy.”

“Do you want me to lower the wards so you can leave the property?”

“No, it is ok. In truth last night freaked me out a bit and I like the thought of a wall keeping those other wizards from Teddy. I will just do some laps and be right back.” Harry felt a brush of lips against his before a whoosh of air ruffled his hair and the door opened and closed a moment later. Harry looked at Teddy, “Did he just fly over my head?”

The toddler just giggled.


	13. Chapter 14

It took nearly an hour of flying in circles, for Jack to clear the mental images that Harry muttering the word ‘toys’ had conjured. He felt like all the years of denied lust were converging on him at once now that he had an outlet. Or maybe just because of Harry himself, and whatever this connection was that they both felt. Jack had nearly exploded with joy when Harry had told Hermione that he felt some sort of bond with Jack. Jack could feel it too, like meeting Harry had been inevitable, like he was a magnet drawing Jack in. 

When Jack finally felt in control enough to endure more time in Harry’s presence without jumping him, he glided to the back porch and stood momentarily contemplating the door. Did he walk right back in? Did he knock? What was the protocol for entering the house of one’s very new...whatever he and Harry were? Deciding to just go with it Jack just walked in, immediately spotting Harry reading over some parchments at a small writing desk in the corner of the living room while Teddy was sitting at his feet quietly tearing some scraps of paper to bits happily. 

At the sound of the door both looked up with warm smiles on their faces and Jack felt his chest constrict. How was it possible to feel something this intense after just a day? Just last night he was drifting through the cold, lonely sky contemplating how hollow he felt, and now he felt overflowing with frothy warmth. Jack knew this was his grounding force, that these two people would be his center for as long as they would have him. 

Harry’s thoughts were flowing along a similar path as the entrance of his...well whatever he and Jack were...boyfriends? Soon to be lovers? Harry shrugged off the questions for later and smiled.

“Enjoy your fly?” Harry asked, his eyes roaming around the deceptively empty looking room. He felt a slight cooling of the air right before smooth lips were pressed against his own. 

“Yeah, I feel much cooler now. Funny before yesterday I didn’t have a problem staying cold.” Jack’s voice said with a teasing tone. 

Harry, very maturely, stuck his tongue in Jack’s general direction, “Hermione stopped back in while you were out. She used the excuse of letting me know about a gathering of friends meeting tonight at her flat to discuss the ‘Ministry Problem’, but really I think she was just making sure Teddy and I are still alive. Although she is now convinced that I am curse and love potion free. She did every counter-spell and revealing charm in every book she had, which was quite the list, believe me!”

“Are you sure that you are ok with all this, Harry? I mean it can’t be a good sign if your friends think I might kill you!”

It weird that Harry had no such concerns. He instinctively knew that Jack meant him no harm. Harry felt a weight settle on the back of his chair and reached up, expecting to feel Jack leaning against it. When his hands met shins instead of shoulders he looked up in confusion. Raising his hands, tracing the curve of the legs crouched above him, Harry laughed, “Are you standing on the furniture?”

Jack chuckled, “I guess I do that a lot, but nobody can see to tell me off so I have grown accustomed to perching where I please. I remember doing it when I was alive and my Ma threatening to tan my hide when she caught me sitting up on our dish cupboard.”

“Well as long as Teddy doesn’t start picking up any bad habits we will be fine.” Harry laughed as Jack ruffled his hair with cool fingers. 

“What time is this ‘meeting’ tonight?”

“Hermione invited us over for dinner beforehand, so we can head over in just a little bit.” 

“Us?”

Harry blushed at his presumptiveness, “Umm, yeah...if you want to go, that is.”

Jack’s weight shifted, giving Harry a little warning before the spirit landed in his lap, “I would like to be there, yes. We should probably have that talk before we go though.”

Harry sighed and nodded, “Yeah, we should. Want a cuppa?”

“Sure.” Jack agreed and they headed into the kitchen, Harry placing a monitoring charm on the contentedly playing Teddy.

“So…” Harry started then trailed off, as they sat together on top of the kitchen counter as the kettle was heating.

“So.” Jack agreed.

Harry laughed out a breath, “So we are going to be a thing.”

Jack bumped his shoulder, “A thing?”

“What do you want to call it?”

“Boyfriends?” Jack suggested.

“You are three-hundred years old and you want to call me your boyfriend?” 

“I like it.” He said, pecking Harry’s lips, “But like I said, it is going to be complicated.”

“I know.”

“I travel the world pretty frequently, doing what I do.” Jack said, wishing that his magic let him be more specific.

“Do you have a schedule, or something?” Harry asked making Jack chuckle.

“Not really, I have always just followed my whims unless there is a problem somewhere. I tend to stay in colder areas, but it isn’t like I melt if I go to the tropics. I wouldn’t have to be gone all the time or anything. The others like me…they have home bases, or well everyone except Sandy. I don’t see why I couldn’t set something up somewhere.”

“Well that would probably work then. Once we figure out this problem with the Ministry, Teddy and I can go pretty much anywhere. I have been thinking of leaving Britain with him anyway. It isn’t safe for us here and it isn’t fair to him. I want him to have a real childhood.” Harry leaned against Jack’s side, “With magic we can still visit family easily enough.”

“So that is one hurtle we can get over then.” Jack said with a small smile, “Ok, let's look at another. I am immortal.”

“So am I.”

“Wait, what?!”

“It is a long story. But yeah, this is me, Master of Death.” Harry waved his hand dramatically at himself.

“Master of Death?” Jack said incredulously.

Harry sighed, “Like I said, long story. And I have only been immortal for a year, but yeah…ta da!”

“So you won’t age.”

“Based on all of our research and test results…nope. Kind of early to be positive, though.”

“What about Teddy?”

Harry winced, “He is as mortal as everyone else. I still haven’t come to terms with any of that. That I will probably watch as everyone I love dies.”

Jack squeezed his hand tightly, “Being an observer of time is hard. I have always stood apart and that helped, but it will be different now.”

“What do you mean?”

“I will be part of the world again, tied to it through you. Loss will be greater, but so will love. I have been drifting for so long. Will having an anchor hurt? At times. But if we do this, we will have each other though it all.”

Harry reached out and burred himself in Jack’s cool shoulder.

“So immortality together?” Harry sniffed, “Sounds cool.”

“I am not sure about you, but this connection, this spark. It feels inevitable.”

Harry nodded, feeling out with his hands for Jack’s face, “I have been Fate's bitch for my entire life,” he said, pressing their foreheads together, “It was about time I got something out of it.”


	14. Chapter 14

Arriving at Ron and Hermione's for dinner by floo was an interesting experience for Jack. It was a similar feeling as traveling through North’s portals, just dustier. He wondered if he should work on developing a faster mode of travel. He had never been particularly concerned about getting from place to place at speedier pace. The wind was pretty efficient, but it was nothing like what the other Guardians had set up. 

The moment Harry set Teddy down on the carpet of the large living room he ran giggling into the waiting arms of the tall red headed boy from the night before. 

“Hey Ron!” Harry called to the man, who was now sprawled on his back being tackled by the toddler.

“Hi Harry,” the greeting muffled as Teddy’s foot kicked at his face in an attempt to turn him over for a horsy ride. 

“Where is Hermione?”

Ron situated the toddler on his back and started prancing about, “She is just finishing brewing something in ‘the lab’.”

‘The Lab’ was their guest room that Hermione had taken over for her projects. This included everything from brewing to muggle/magic integration work. Everyone had been surprised when she had been pulled aside by Draco after graduation and proposed a business venture. The once rivals were unarguably the brightest minds in their year, and Draco wanted to join their, in his words, unique potential. With the Malfoy funds as backing the two worked on whatever projects peaked their curiosity and planned on splitting any proceeds equally. So far they were still in the development phase of their first ‘projects’, which was really all anyone else knew about their work.

“Need any help with dinner?” Harry asked the redhead.

“Naw mate, it is all set.” Ron swung Teddy down to the floor and started tickling his little tummy. “So Hermione said you were bringing a date to dinner, but she wouldn’t say more...no matter her persuasive I tried to be.” He added with an eyebrow wiggle, “So who is it and when are they getting here?”

Jack watched Harry’s eyes go wide, obviously he thought that Hermione had done the explaining for him. “Well that is actually a funny thing...he is already here.”

Ron looked to the front door of the flat, obviously expecting someone to knock. Jack chuckled making Harry glare in his general direction, Ron of course couldn’t hear him so had no reaction. 

“No, I mean I brought him with me.” 

Ron’s nonplused expression did not help Jack’s laughter.

“He is invisible.”

Ron looked around the room, “He using your cloak? Why would you bring him like that?”

“No actually...he just is that way. He is an elemental-winter-spirity-thing.” Harry reached out to where Jack was standing next to him and patted his shoulder. “Um, I can hear him, but you prolly can’t yet.”

“You feeling ok, mate?” The redhead looked about ready to commit Harry to the loony bin. 

“You are really bad at this!” Jack managed to between his laughing.

Harry glared at him again, “Well don’t seem to be giving me any help here!”

Jack took pity on him and kissed Harry’s cheek, meanwhile swirling his staff and creating an indoor snow flurry. Teddy had recovered from his tickle fit at this point and rad over to Jack, arms raised, hair and skin going white. Jack already knew what he wanted and scooped up the toddler and started flying him around through the swirls of snow. 

Ron looked a bit gobsmacked and now was Harry’s turn to laugh as Hermione came out of a door down the hall and called, “I see Harry and Jack are here!”

“Hi Hermione!” they called out in sync, causing her to laugh as she reached the living room. 

“Jack, this snow won’t cause water damage right? I don’t think our neighbors downstairs would like it if it starts raining from their ceiling.”

In answer Jack snapped and all the snow vanished without leaving a drop of moisture behind. Teddy’s put out whine made Jack give him a tickle as he created a spiral ice slide for him to play on. Jack then moved behind Harry and encircled him in his arms and resting his chin on Harry’s head. Harry leaned into him naturally, which made butterflies erupt in Jack’s stomach. 

“So…umm…nice to meet you? I am Ron?” Ron said, obviously questioning his own sanity, “I hope you like Shepards Pie.”

———

The first to arrive was Neville. He arrived on foot instead of floo since he was letting a flat in the same building as Ron and Hermione. He brought a plate of fresh berries and veg from the greenhouses he was building at his estate. He spent his days there working and spending time with his Nan, but like his own space in the evenings. They spent a few minutes chatting before the rest of the group started arriving. 

The flat expanded automatically as more people arrived, the couches and chairs multiplying. It was a clever bit of spellwork that Hermione and Draco had spun up and by the looks of it was getting close to publishing. By the time most everyone had arrived there were about thirty people. Most of them from their crew in Hogwarts, combined with a few Slytherins that Draco had added to the mix, as well as some former Order members. 

Harry felt the familiar squirm of discomfort as he looked around at this small band that looked to him as a leader. No matter how long he was placed in various leadership roles he never felt the mantle fitting quite right. Jack must have noticed his unease because he squeezed Harry tighter, placing a kiss to his temple. Harry wondered if it was noticeable just how much he was leaning into the invisible man’s chest. 

Teddy had snuggled up to Molly, always eager for a cuddle from his pseudo grandmother. Harry was so glad he was able to give Teddy access to so many people who loved him. It was nothing like what Harry had grown up with. With the little boy drifting off and everyone settled Harry moved in front of the hearth, Jack staying plastered to his side. 

“Er, thanks everyone for coming by on such short notice.” Harry started, “I wanted to tell you all of an incident that happened at my house last night and a decision that I have come to in response to that. After that you can decide what, if any, involvement you would like to have going forward.”

“Oh, Harry?!” A pale girl with white blonde hair called out.

“Yes Luna?”

“Before you start, didn’t you want to introduce us to your handsome new boyfriend?” She said dreamily, with a wink in Jack’s direction.

Harry blinked stupidly for a moment, “Um, wait you can see him?”

Luna tilted her head, “Only when I was sleeping in the snow.”

Jack studied the girl, but didn’t recognize her. Not that he had every person he ever ran into memorized. 

“Um, maybe that is a discussion for later then?” Harry scratched his neck awkwardly looking around at the large group.

“Wait, Harry you have an invisible boyfriend?” Ginny asked, peering around Harry.

“Um, it is kind of complicated.”

Bill sniffed the air, “I can smell something, but it is strange like mint and cold.”

Without really thinking about how it would look, Harry leaned into Jack’s neck and sniffed. He did smell a bit minty.

———

People were murmuring now and Harry was starting to look at a loss as of what to do. Jack decided he couldn’t make it worse, so he formed a snow figure of about his proportions and waved its hand.

Instantly over half the room was on their feet, wands trained on the figure. Jack gulped, maybe he could make it worse. He let the figure dissolve much to the confusion of the witches and wizards of the room. Harry laughed a little hysterically.

“That wasn’t actually him. Um, he isn’t exactly a wizard. He is a winter spirit and no he can’t make himself visible. Some people can hear him though. His name is Jack, of some relation to the norse spirit Jokul Frosti.”

Jack cleared his throat, “Uh, hi!”

A few people jumped. 

“Are you sure this isn’t some trick?” Draco asked, but Luna smacked the back of his head. 

“Be nice, Jack has been waiting a long time for Harry.”

“As you say, love,” Draco said, rubbing the back of his head, but looking at Luna adoringly. Many in the room sniggered good-naturedly.

“Anyway, Hermione has already thoroughly questioned Jack and checked me for any outside influence, so for the time being we can get back to business.” Harry said, determined to get back to the point of the meeting.


	15. Chapter 15

Harry spent the rest of the meeting walking the group through the events of Teddy’s attempted abduction the night before. The outrage in the room swelled as the story went on. By the time Harry reached the end of the room was practically sparking with furry. 

Harry stood before the group, his power simmering just below the surface, “After last night, I seriously considered cutting my losses with this whole country, taking Teddy and leaving. And in all honestly we probably will leave once this is settled once and for all. But I can’t in all good conscience stand to the side anymore. 

We have tried for months to get the Ministry to see sense, but nothing has worked and there is a good portion of the public that shares their sentiment. But while we have waited families have been torn apart. Children, like Teddy, have been torn from their homes. I am ready to take drastic action, I just don’t know what that action should be. 

We have already fought a war. Many of us are tired and want to be done fighting and that is ok. If you don’t want to fight this fight, you can go home now or at any time. But I am going to take a stand one more time, because if Teddy had been taken my world would have been torn apart, and I wouldn’t wish that on any other person.”

There was silence in the room for a moment, before people were clapping, shouting out ‘with you, mate!’ and other such agreements. It took a few minutes for the hubbub to subside and then Hermione was standing beside Harry. 

“What we will need to do is formulate a plan of what is to be done and then how we will do it. In the mean time we will collate all the information we can find about the current Ministry policies and the compounds where they are taking magical creatures. Any information you find will come here, where we will meet again in three days time. Any questions or concerns?”

Harry lent heavily against Jack as Hermione took over closing out the meeting. Jack accepted his weight easily, nuzzling into the shorter boys hair. 

“Would you like be to see if I can get my colleagues involved? We are not technically able to get involved in purely human affairs, but I may be able to find a loop hole.” Jack whispered into Harry’s hair.

“It couldn’t hurt.” Harry agreed, “Do you think they will help?”

“It is hard to say. They have been…doing this…a lot longer than me. I think, I think if they can they will.”

“Well, we would welcome any help we can get.”

“Oi Harry! Is yer boyfriend a Yank?” Shamus called, obviously one of the few that could hear Jack’s voice, “‘e doesne sound Norse.”

Jack laughed, “I am from Pensilvania, but it was technically not America yet when I was born.”

Shamus join in the laughter, “Oh, you are robbin’ the cradle a wee bit then?”

“Not many centennials about looking for a good time.” Jack bemoaned playfully, making a few more people laugh. 

Harry tried to see a pattern in those that could hear Jack and those that couldn’t, but is seemed to be a random spattering. Even after spending all of dinner sharing a table, Ron was still unable to hear the spirit. Although he could touch him, as they found out just to prove to him it honestly wasn’t some elaborate prank. 

———

As people started trickling out, Teddy made his way back to them, rubbing his eyes sleepily. Harry was still busy talking with one of the redheads (Jack had lost track of who was who at this point). Jack scooped up the boy and Teddy snuggled into his shoulder relaxing into sleep almost instantly. The tall boy practically melted and the chubby little fingers hooked into his hoody even in sleep. 

How much could change in a day, he wondered as he cuddled his precious cargo close. He had a place with these two people and it was everything he always wanted. Jack knew, regardless of what the other guardians did, he would be helping Harry in his quest to make the world a safer place for Teddy. He had found his place and he was going to protect it.

———

When they finally arrived back to Harry’s house almost an hour later, even Jack felt drained. Who knew organizing for a fight would be hard work? 

Together they settled the still sleeping Teddy into his crib and Harry led Jack by the hand to his bedroom. One they were in Harry leaned tiredly into Jack, “I know we talked about showing you my toy collection, but any chance you will accept a raincheck? I am exhausted.”

Jack kissed Harry’s temple, “Of course. I even feel that I could sleep for a few hours.”

Harry let out a pleased hum and with a wave of his hand his clothes melted into pajamas, “Sleep with me?”

“Always, but I want to pop out for a bit at about midnight. Would you mind waking up to let me out of the wards then?”

Harry furrowed his brow, “Let me see if I can key you into them now, that way you won’t be stuck outside when you get back.”

He held up a hand and felt for the wards, still firm and solid around the house. He focused on the feeling of Jack as family and to allow him through even that hardest outer layer. It took some coaxing, but eventually the wards seemed receptive. Harry opened his eyes, “Want to go test it out?”

“Alright, I will be right back. You save a spot in bed for me?”

Harry laughed and pushed him away. A moment later a window opened and Harry was certain that Jack had left the room. He quickly brushed his teeth and clambered into bed. He was just finishing his nightly check on his friends when he felt a gust of wind. 

“That you, Jack?”

“Yup, I was able to get out and in no problem.” The window slid shut and then the bed dipped as Jack joined him under the covers. 

Harry snuggled up to his cool form and sighed happily. 

“I am not too cold, am I?”

“No, I like it. I always run hot. This feels amazing. You are comfortable too?”

“Yeah, I actually love warmth. One of my favorite things is sleeping beside a nice crackling fire.” Jack pulled Harry closer, pressing a kiss to his hair, “Are you able to set an alarm for me. I need to be sure I am up by 11:55.”

“Sure, no problem. Why 11:55?” Harry asked even as he snapped his fingers and set an alarm to wake the spirit.

“I don’t want to miss Sandy. He should be just a little south of here at midnight and I can catch him before he moves on.”

“Sandy, you have mentioned him a few times.”

“Yeah, he is probably my favorite of my…coworkers. I want to get his take on the situation before I talk to North. North is such a stickler for the rules.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“Not long, Sandy keeps a tight schedule and he won’t let me distract him for very long. I will come back here before I go see the others. North will probably call a meeting when I show up, so that would take a while. I will probably go at some point tomorrow afternoon.”

“Okay,” Harry yawned.

“Night, Harry.” Jack said softly, giving the brunette a gentle kiss.

Harry smiled sleepily, “G’night, Jack.”


	16. Chapter 16

When the alarm Harry set woke Jack, he was surprised he had actually fallen asleep. Despite his words earlier he had only expected to doze lightly. He shook off the lingering grogginess and climbed out if the bed, careful not to disturb Harry. Jack did not like the feeling of leaving Harry and Teddy, even for the short while he planned on talking with Sandy. He determined to be as quick as he could and quickly slipped out the window. 

The night sky was crisp and clear and it only took a few minutes of flying for him to spot sparks of gold floating through the air. Sandy was punctual as ever. Spotting his friend, he waved and hastened over to where Sandy drifted on his golden cloud.

Sandy grinned as Jack scooped him up in a friendly hug and the tiny man patted him on the back in greeting.

“Sandy! Am I glad to see you.” Jack said releasing his friend.

Sandy looked at the world around them and looked confused, he flashed an image of falling snow and then spring flowers. 

“No, I am not ruining spring here. It is too warm for me to even try, but it is a complicated story as so how I got here. And I think I need your help.”

Sandy looked concerned. He nodded and held up one finger, telling Jack to wait one moment. He quickly formed a large ball of glittering gold sand and sent it up above them where it exploded across the sky creating a large spread rain of golden raindrops. Jack had seen Sandy do this a few times. It would allow Sandy to ensure generally happy dreams across a large area, but wasn’t nearly as specialized as his normal craft.

He gestured for Jack to begin and he formed himself a comfortable chair complete with foot rest. And so Jack started from the beginning with being sucked out of the sky, finding these wizards with a baby in a cage and the rescue by his young guardian. He explained his discovery that this group of wizards were gathering up all manner of magical creatures and imprisoning them. 

“They are calling them camps…and we have seen what humans do to things in camps.” Jack winced at memories of times passed and the screams of other children torn from their families, of lives snuffed out for no apparent reason. The habit of humans to hurt each other was beyond painful for an observer of the world to watch. Sandy’s face showed equally dark memories. But you learn to compartmentalize in your immortality lest you risk loosing your mind. 

“Are we able to do anything about this? If they are holding any elemental creatures…maybe even elemental children…might we be able to take some direct action?”

Sandy seemed to ponder this, he then formed the image of North’s workshop and his bookshelves of information. 

Jack sighed, “Yeah, I figured that North would probably know. I told Harry that we would probably end up holding a meeting tomorrow afternoon…or well I guess it is this afternoon now…”

Sandy seemed to pick up on something. He formed an image of Jack and then an image of a faceless wizard and a question mark.

Jack was glad that his coloring did not allow him to flush, “It is complicated…but yeah the wizard is Harry. He…he and Teddy are special, Sandy. Like really special.”

Sandy looked worried again. 

“I know…I know…but Harry and I, we have this connection I swear.” Jack let himself fall back so he was laying on Sandy’s cloud, “And he feels it too and he is not a trusting guy. I think he and I are like meant to be or something.”

Sandy looked sadly at Jack and formed an image of the faceless wizard with an hour glass above his head, slowly running out and the little wizard aging.

“No, get this, he is immortal too. Or at least he thinks he is. Something happened to him in a war they just had or something.” Sandy nodded that he was aware of some war among the wizards, “And…we haven’t had time to talk about it yet in detail…but he actually died in some way. Somehow it didn’t stick. He said he is now ‘the master of death’, whatever that means.”

Sandy’s eyes looked surprised at Jacks last words.

“You know what that means, ‘master of death’?” 

Sandy waved his hand uncertainly, but formed the image of the grim reaper who Jack had only met a handful of times. That guy was wound even more tightly than Tooth. Sandy then formed the image of the reaper bowing to the wizard. 

“So we are talking a literal master here?”

Sandy waved his hand uncertainly and Jack determined to see if North hand more information on the topic. Sandy dissolved the image of the reaper and reformed Jack and then formed little hears swirling around his head. Jack groaned, waving his hand to dissipate the vision but he had a small smile on his face, “He is really special, ok?”

Sandy laughed silently. 

“Shut up.” Jack groused, “Why do I even like you?”

Sandy still chortled but clapped Jack on the back. Both of the settling on the edge of his cloud, looking out at the quiet night sky the earth slippage by below them.

“I need to help him, Sandy. I need to protect Teddy. I can’t even explain it!” Jack said softly. 

Sandy nodded and formed an image of Jack and his wizard holding hands, looking forward, as if bracing for a fight. Then forming next to Little Jack was a Little Sandy, ready to stand with them. Jack embraced his friend, “Thank you, Sandy.”

Sandy formed an image of North’s workshop, then Little Jack and Little Harry walking in hand-in-hand and a question mark. 

“You think I should bring him?”

Sandy formed Bunny and then portrayed him fainting at the sight. He cackled silently and Jack laughed. 

“Ok, I will bring him.” Jack agreed, “Do you think you can ask North to call the meeting? I would have to explain everything from the beginning and I want to get back to Harry before he wakes up. I don’t want him worrying.”

Sandy rolled his eyes but nodded. They knew North wouldn’t hound Sandy for too many details the way he would Jack. Sandy was the oldest of them after all and his voice carried more weight…in a manner of speaking.

“Thank you,” Jack smiled and Sandy ruffled his hair affectionally. 

———

Harry blinked his eyes open, as he felt the bed dip next to him. He rolled over to see…well not a whole lot actually. In the grey morning light he could just in an indentation in the pillow and on top of the covers. His magic was getting better at recognizing the presence of the sprit beside him however.

“Hi,” He said, sleep still clouding his voice, making it thick.

“Hi,” Jack’s voice floated quietly through the haze of early morning, “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s ‘kay.” Harry said with a yawn, cuddling up to his invisible boyfriend and resting his head on the cool shoulder, “Did you find your friend?”

Harry could feel Jack nod, “He is hard to miss, what with the constant golden light show he has going on.”

“Did it go ok?”

“Yeah, actually. Sandy is with us and he is going to have North call a meeting at his workshop today. He thinks I should bring you.”

Harry blinked at that, “Would I be able to? As a human would I even be able to tell anyone was there?”

Jack pondered that for a moment, “I think so. You can hear me and that came from knowing my name. If you know their names and believe them to be there you should be able to at least hear them? And if not, North has an epic library. We may be able to find more information in general.”

Harry smiled and snuggled closer, “Yeah, it would be great to be able to actually see you. Not that it is the end of the if you stay invisible. I mean, it doesn’t change how I feel about you. I am attracted to you either way.”

Jack laughed at the rambling, “You are attracted to me, eh?”

“Like, that was not completely obvious.” Harry snorted, before rolling himself onto of the invisible figure. 

“Oh, are you going to prove it to me, beautiful?” Jack whispered huskily.

Harry turned scarlet, visible even in the dim morning light, “Can I?”

“Oh, what is it exactly that you plan on doing?” Jack’s voice took on an elicit power when they were like this and it did something to Harry’s insides. It made him want to kneel and worship at the man’s feet. 

Harry bit his lip, glancing at the sun just starting to peak over the horizon. They still had time. “Can I taste you?”


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally some real smut!

Harry bit his lip, glancing at the sun just starting to peak over the horizon. They still had time. “Can I taste you?”

“Fuck yes.” Jack said, pulling Harry down for a deep kiss.

When they broke apart, both were panting and Harry started to feel around, trying to figure out how to get the invisible body in front of him out of its clothes, “Erm, I may need a hand getting you naked…”

Jack laughed, “You do you, I do me?”

“Deal,” Harry said and rolled off the other boy and banished his own clothes in a blink.

“Not fair,” Jack’s voice was muffled as he wrestled with his own clothes. 

Harry just laughed, until a very firm body pressed against his side. Harry’s hands were drawn like magnets to the figure he could not see. He skimmed his hands up smooth skin of an arm, following the curve of a broad shoulder and down the ridge of a clavicle. 

“This is almost like being blindfolded, but able to see at the some time.” Harry said, trying to make a mental image of Jack’s body. He was he curled his hand down Jack’s chest, able to feel the pounding of his heard, “You are so smooth.”

“Yeah, I don’t know if the no body hair thing is from when I transformed or if I was like this before,” Jack gasped as Harry’s curious finger slipped over a nipple, “I don’t remember.”

“Wait, you have _no_ body hair?”

“Nope,” And to prove it Jack grabbed Harry’s hand and led it down his chest, over his taught stomach, stopping just short of the place Harry was most eager and nervous to touch. The skin under his fingers felt like cool silk…everywhere.

Jacks hand released his own and traveled up Harry’s arm and around to his hip. Those cool fingers trailed over Harry’s heated skin, making him shiver.

“Am I too cold?” Jack whispered breathlessly, as he cupped Harry’s ass cheek.

“No, I like it.” He took hold of his Gryffindor bravery and started moving his hand the last few inches to Jack’s hardness.

Jack gasped as Harry wrapped his hand around the hard length, “Fuck, your hands are so hot. It feels so good.”

“If you think that is hot, I wonder how may mouth will feel?” Harry said, moving his hand lightly along the shaft trying to get a measure of size, causing Jack to groan. Harry wasn’t sure if the moan was in response to the words or the sensation so kept up both, “I have never put a real cock in my mouth before, but I have practiced with toys.”

Jack was breathing hard now and Harry could see little puffs of frosty air escaping from where his mouth must be. “Well baby, do you want to see if all your practice paid off?”

Harry maneuvered himself lower, using his hands to guide his way to the invisible erection. The smell of biting mint was stronger here and combined with just a touch of something earthy. Deciding it was time to go for it, Harry leaned forward, finding the tip with his lips and giving a pronounced lick to the head before slurping it quickly into his mouth. 

Jack made a choking sound and cold hands found purchase in his hair. Harry was received that the minty smell did not equate to a sweet taste. He was a little concerned that it would be like giving a candy cane a blow job, but instead Jack just tasted of clean skin with just a touch of a fresh minty taste. 

“Oh, shit baby, so hot. Your mouth is so fucking hot.” Jack moaned as Harry worked on taking the hard flesh deeper, wishing he could see Jack’s face to see if he was doing it right. He supposed he was because not a minute later Jack started babbling, “Oh no, fuck baby not going to last. Can’t hold it. Shit it is just too good. Sorry, oh fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”

A moment later cold cum was flooding Harry’s mouth and Jack continued to swear and groan. Harry groaned as well, so caught up in the knowledge that he had done this. 

As soon as Jack caught his breath, he pulled Harry up from when he was suckling his still hard member with his mouth. Jack easily lifted him and rolled him so they were once again side by side. Their erections rubbing together, the blend of hot and cold sending sparks up Harrys spine.

They were both panting and Jack whispered, “I…I think…yeah I can definitely go again.”

“Fuck me.” Harry said urgently, humping his aching cock against all that silk smooth skin, “Please, fuck me.”

Jack groaned, “You are sure? If you want to wait…”

“Fuck waiting, I love you. I know it has been like a day, but it doesn’t matter. I love you and I want to feel you shove your cock up my arse.”

Jack lunged in for a sloppy kiss, “Fuck, I love you too.” 

Harry felt Jack settle between his legs, “Let me just get you ready. Do you have any lube.”

Harry snapped his fingers, squirming at the slight tingle that always accompanied the preparation charm, “There done. Slicked and stretched and ready. Now please?”

Jack chuckled and lent in for another, softer kiss, “Bossy britches.”

Harry pouted, but then he felt Jack’s cock nudge his hole. He looked down and gasped as he could feel Jack pushing inside. He could see it too. He could see his hole opening to and invisible force until he was gaping around the cold cockhead. 

“Holy shit, that is fucking hot.” Harry gasped.

Jack let out a strained chuckle and Harry could feel the tension in him from holding back, but still he managed, “I would have thought it was actually cold.”

“You are not funny.” Harry gasped as Jack sunk in a little deeper, “Oh God, yes that is so good.”

“You are so slick and tight, so hot inside. Your ass is trying to melt my cock…in like the best way possible. Shit, do you think I can move? I really need to move.” Jack was shaking now.

“Yes, fucking move!”

At Jack’s first thrust they both moaned and Harry grabbed the base of his cock to keep from spontaneous orgasm. “It’s good, it's good. Harder, do it hard.”

“Oh, thank God,” Jack groaned and started thrusting in earnest. Neither had words any more and Harry was so to cumming that he could feel it about to crash over him like fucking tsunami. All it took was one pull from Jack’s cool hand on his overheated cock and he was shouting out his release. He could feel Jack tense and shudder out his own orgasm deem inside him. The feeling of cold cum bathing his tender walls was amazing.

“Holy hell.” Harry whispered when he finally had breath enough to fill his lungs.

Jack nuzzled into him, “Mmmm, love you so fucking much.”

Harry wrapped his arms tightly around the invisible man in his arms. “Love you too.”


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guess what?! Teddy learns his first word!

“Are you sure it is okay to bring him?”

Jack snorted, “I am more sure it is okay to bring him than I am you. Our job is literally all about children. And he wouldn’t be the first kid exposed to one of the home bases. Just ask Bunny about the Sophie incident some time.”

Harry still looked a little nervous as he dressed Teddy in all his warmest winter gear, despite it being late spring. Jacked look over the little boy, who was only just tolerating all the layers, “Can you magic him some extra warmth if he needs it?”

Harry scoffed, “Of course I can, but seriously Jack isn’t this a little excessive. I mean it’s not like we are going to the North Pole.”

Jack was silent.

“Jack?” Harry said hesitantly as he looked around the room, like that would help, “Jack I was kidding, we are not actually going to the North Pole, right?”

Jack coughed awkwardly.

“Right?!”

“Ummm.” Jack scratched the back of his head, “I told you he needed lots of layers.”

“Jack! The North Pole?!”

“It it is fine, I have been there tons of times.”

“Jack, you said you were going to carry us!” Harry’s eyes were wide and his voice was getting just a little higher with each exclamation. Jack just had to kiss him and all his adorableness.

“The fuck, Jack! You can not just carry us to the North fucking Pole.”

“Fuck!” Teddy shrieked joyfully. 

“Oh you have got to be fu….kinding me!” Harry groaned sinking to his knees in front of Teddy, “No, Bear that is not allowed to be your first word. I did not mean to say that and you may not repeat it.”

“Fuck!” 

“I am a failure as a parent.” Harry groaned his head in his hands.

Jack couldn’t hold in his laughter anymore and he had to move fast to avoid the blast of purple that Harry flung in his direction. 

“Fuuuck!” Teddy sang.

————

“Ready?” Jack grinned up to Harry on his back, even thought he teen couldn’t see it.

“This is ridiculous.” Harry grumbled through his scarf.

Jack laughed and adjusted Teddy in the carrier strapped to his own chest. “Hold on!”

He felt Harry’s arms tighten around his shoulders and Jack took off running, jumping first onto the roof of their house and then running and jumping from branch to branch until he felt the wind catch him and carry them on an updraft. 

Harry gripped his shoulders tightly, “This is nothing a broomstick!”

“I should hope you like riding me more than your broom,” Jack chuckled, the innuendo making Harry swat at his head, “Hey, no hitting the driver!”

Teddy was shrieking happily and waving his arms and he stared down at the world disappearing below. 

“Are you even in control here? It feels like you are aloft by luck.” Harry shrieked a latte as they bobbled in the wind.

“It’s kind of half and half, but the wind hasn’t dropped me yet!” Jack called back. 

“What?!” 

———

“See, it wasn’t that bad,” Jack said, as they crested the last glaciers blocking Norths workshop from view, “It only took, what, twenty minutes?”

“I am apparating home.”

“Admit it, you had fun.” Jack turned to look over his shoulder at Harry, who was definitely trying to hide his smile.

“I will admit to no such thing.”

Jack flew them over the workshop, “Can you see it?”

Harry peered over his shoulder, “You mean the freaking palace half buried in ice? Yeah, I see that.”

Jack laughed and Harry’s snark. Fate had chosen well for him.

Jack flew right into the globe room where North, Sandy and Bunny were already assembled. 

Sandy waved a frantic greeting even as North and Bunny’s eyes widened at the sight of their newest member arriving with a baby strapped to his chest and another young man clutching to his back. 

“Hey guys!” Jack called cheerfully, “Is Tooth here yet?”

“Here I am! She buzzed in, “I made it!”

“Jack,” North said slowly, “I think you have some explaining to do.”

“I know, I know.” Jack said, “But how about introductions first! Harry, this is North, Tooth and Bunnymund. Everyone, this is my intended, Harry Potter. Any chance you can see anyone Harry?”

Harry shook his head no, but hissed, “Your _intended_?”

“They are a bit old-fashioned.” Jack whispered back, then louder to the group he said, “And this is Teddy.”

“Fuck!” screeched Teddy.

Harry slapped himself in the face and Bunny laughed, “Now this one I like.”

The way Harry turned his head and groaned indicated that he at least heard Bunny, even if he couldn’t see them.

“Wait, did you say Harry Potter? As in _The Harry Potter_?” Tooth squealed.

Harry groaned again, “Yeah, that is me.”

“Oh my!” Tooth practically swooned. Teddy obviously had no trouble seeing her, because he was staring enraptured at her wings and she flitted around. 

“You want to go say hi, buddy?”

“Fuck!” Teddy agreed, his hair turning iridescent green to match Tooth.

“I am so sorry, his first word is totally Jack’s fault.” Harry apologized, unstrapping the toddler from Jack’s chest.

“Now that I believe,” said North, “Now come, let us have a discussion. I will have the yetis watch the child and the elves bring him some milk and cookies to keep him strong.”

North clapped his hands and a dozen of the little elves appeared flanked by two yetis. 

“Oh, you have houses elves?” Harry asked, then looked more closely, “Oh, why are they so small?”

“They came with the place when I found it, oh some 1,000 years ago. They try very hard to be helpful…they just aren’t.”

“Why do they have clothes?”

“That may be the oddest question you have ever asked,” Jack said.

“No, I mean, if they are bonded house elves they should not have uniforms. If they have been unbounded for over 1,000 years it is amazing that they can even function at all. A house elf needs a bonded family to support their own magic. I learned that the hard way with a friend of mine. He lost his magic and it took a a while to figure out it was because he needed to have a bond to sustain it.”

“These elves must be different. They do not have magic.” North said.

Harry studied one closely, “Hello. Nice to meet you. I am Harry.”

The elf shook Harry’s hand with a dazed smile.

“Are you a house elf?”

The elf shrugged and pulled a cookie from under it’s clothes and handed it out to Harry. 

“Thank you, what is your name.”

The elf opened its mouth as if to reply but only squeaked. It closed its mouth looking cross.

“Something is not right,” He stood up and turned to face the group of guardians whom he could not see, “These elves need a bond. Who lived here before you?”

“I don’t know. I found out abandoned and fixed it up for myself.” North was looking concerned now.

“Is your magic capable of creating a bond with a house elf?”

“I do not know.”

“Dobby?”

“What is a dobby?” Bunny asked just before they all jumped. There was a loud pop and suddenly there was an elf, nearly identical to North’s elves but almost six inches taller.

“Harry Potter is calling, Dobby sir?”

“Hi Dobby, I am sorry to bother you, but we have a little problem. Can you tell me, are these house elves?” Harry waved his hand behind Dobby and the taller elf turned and gasped.

“These elves are being very sick, Harry Potter.” Dobby held a hand out to a nearby elf, who studied him curiously, “They must be going a very long time with no wizard.”

“That was what I thought, Dobby. Do you know if a spirit can bond with an elf to provide them stability?”

“You is meaning Father Christmas who is standing right behind you?”

“Fuck!” shouted Teddy from across the room.


	19. Chapter 19

One bonding ceremony, a hundred very grateful elves, and a large mug of spiked coco later, Harry and the guardians were seated in North’s study.

“I would like to thank you again, Harry Potter, for righting this wrong. I had no idea that the elves were unwell. I just thought that is how they were. I though I was doing them a service treating them kindly.” North was still pacing, surprisingly not drained from the sudden connection with so many creatures.

Harry’s eyes tracked his movements, surprised by the look of the first guardian he could see. He looked nothing like most depictions of Santa Claus that Harry had seen, “Why can I see you now?”

“Ah, it is all about belief.” North said, finally taking a seat.

“I believe that Jack is real. Very real.” Harry said, leaning into the taller boy.

“It is not just knowledge of our existence, but also belief in what we represent. I am the most famous, therefor the easiest for most people to believe in.” North said smugly.

“Oi! I take effect to that,” the voice of Bunny floated from where he was playing with Teddy by the fire.

“And would I know of you too?” Harry asked.

Jack tapped Harry’s nose, “Use you brain, love. You just met Santa, who might he hang with?”

“Bunny…as in like the Easter Bun…holy hell you’re huge!” Harry practically jumped into Jack’s lap.

The whole room was laughing.

“And that would mean…Tooth is the Tooth Fairy.” Harry’s eyes alit on her and he smiled.

“It is an honor to meet you, Harry Potter. You have saved so many.” She said with a bow.

“Who the bloody hell is Harry Potter?” Bunny grumbled.

“Bwody hell!” Clapped Teddy.

“Seriously!” Harry gasped.

“Fuck,” Teddy agreed very seriously.

Jack clutched his sides laughing and winced when Harry aimed accurately for the back of his head, “Careful, Harry, or he will start hitting next.”

“Oh my god, I am the worst parent ever.”

“Okay, back on track. We have Santa Claus, the easter bunny and the tooth fairy. That leaves you and Sandy.” Harry said thinking hard of everything he knew about the two, “You said Sandy would be working around our house at midnight, but he helps children. What on earth could he help kids with at midnight…sleeping? Does he help kids sleep?”

“I knew you had a brain in there somewhere,” Jack nibbling, gibbing on Harry’s ear. 

Bunny threw a pillow at Jack’s face, “Enough PDA.”

“So, Sandy…sleeping…bring me a dream…Mr. Sandman!” Harry’s eyes lit up with success before they even found Sandy floating by the rafters.

Sandy gave a wave and bow.

Harry then turned to the last unseen figure, “Okay, last but not least.”

“I am going to to give you one hint, but just because a song helped you get Sandy.” And then Harry felt teeth on the tip of his nose.

“Bid you just bite me? What kind of a hint is that?!” Harry rubbed his nose, “What are you a shark?

Jack laughed.

“You are horrible at hints, Jack.” North chimed in.

“He would have been better just guessing on his own.” Tooth added, smiling lightly.

“Winter and snow and cold. Jacket. Jackknife. Jackfruit. Jack-off…” Harry slapped a hand over his mouth and his face was instantly red.

Bunny was laughing so hard tears were rolling down his furry cheeks and the others weren’t far behind, “So close and yet so far.”

“Alright, let’s take a break. You said there was an emergency that needed our attention, yes?” North said, finally getting himself under control.

“We don’t know if you are able to get involved, but let me explain from the beginning…” and so the next hour Harry and Jack filled the other guardians in about the ministry and magical creatures. Even Jack learned some more background about the war and the fact that Teddy was a werwolf. By the end Jack could see the consternation on the other guardian’s faces. 

“I know we aren’t always able to get involved in strictly human matters, but this toes the line between our worlds. And I don’t think Fate would have sent me to Harry if wasn’t supposed to help.” 

“What do you mean Fate sent you to Harry?” Tooth asked sweetly.

“Well, it is just how we feel like this is…”

“…meant to be.” Harry finished for him, with a kiss to their interlocked hands. 

“I mean, how often are you sucked out of the sky by an immortal wizard and, like, instantly fall in love.”

“It was like love at first sight…minus the sight part.” Harry chuckled. 

Tooth was a cooing, Bunny was fake gaging, North was looking pensive…and Sandy seemed to be asleep with Teddy curled with him in his cloud, tiny golden wolves were swirling around their heads.

“You are immortal, Harry?”

“Uh, yeah. I mean I already died once and before I came back I was told I am now the master of death. My friend and I did a lot of research and that is what it all pointed to.”

“A true master of death? Well, if that is the case, yes you would be. I am sure Grim will swing by some time to say ‘hello’ to you eventually. He is kinda busy and has social anxiety.” North said in an almost fond voice, “His job is very stressful.”

“I can imagine,” Harry agreed. He didn’t envy anyone who had the responsibility of death. He looked back at the guardians, “Do you think you will be able to help?”

North looked pensive, “I don’t know how much of a help we could be. We are physically incapable of doing battle. We are able to fight other spirits, but we would probably phase right though wizards and I doubt our magic would have much of an effect.”

They were all silent a minute, until Harry felt Jack tense under him, “What if we weren’t fighting! What if we do what we do best?!”

Harry looked in Jack’s general direction skeptically, “What are you talking about?”

“Okay, okay…this is just an idea…but it could solve all the problems and it would mean no one would need to fight, or at least not much. All we would just have to play the largest prank ever!” 

“You are serious?”

“I am always serious about pranks.”

“Fu-uck,” Teddy yawned from his spot snoozing in Sandy’s cloud.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What will Harry and the Guardians think of Jack's plan?

“So, you said that you have been having trouble with almost half of wizarding society as a whole, right?” Jack said, excitement making him speak quickly.

Harry nodded, “There is a lot of prejudice and bigotry running rampant through wizarding Britain as a whole. They have been isolated for so long they are scared of everything.”

“Exactly. Isn’t that really the problem, they have hidden behind their magic and not been forced to interact with the outside world. They are able to block out the rest of the world and it has built up prejudice.”

“Yes, that is a big part of it, I think.” Harry said, mulling over Jack’s words.

“So what if…What if we took away their ability to hide?”

“Like drained their magic?” Harry did not like the idea of that at all.

“No, no, but temporarily thwarted their ability to use it. For like, maybe a year or two. Force them to interact with the moogle world and maybe even some creature societies if we can swing it.”

“Muggle,” Harry corrected, “And how would that even be possible.”

“Okay, that is where we come in.” Jack explained, “We can have Tooth nick everyone’s wands. They would never see her coming…literally. And then maybe we have North leave everyone _muggle_ money, and maybe like identification and stuff. And Bunny hides stink bombs in all the popular wizarding areas. If they didn’t have their magic they would have a hard time dealing with the smell, yeah? And if everyone doesn’t have their wands you can easily break out the creatures from the camps, Sandy and I would come along as back up, since he can just knock out anyone that puts up a fuss.”

“So essentially we would be halting all the wizarding world and forcing them into the muggle world to broaden their horizons.” Harry thought.

“It could work,” Tooth agreed, as they all mulled over Jack’s idea. 

“What about the people who are not causing any trouble, who may not hold the same level of prejudice?” Harry asked.

“I think it has to be everyone,” Jack admitted, “If you only apply this to half the population then it becomes an ‘us vs them’ situation and that will put you right back were you started.”

Harry nodded, “It holds a good bit of merit, we just need to fine tune the details and see what the rest of the group thinks about it. Would you all be willing to help us with a plan like that?”

Bunny shrugged, “It would give me a good use for the thousands of eggs that weren’t found this easter. They stink to high heaven by now.”

“I am in!” Tooth fluttered.

“Indeed, I have never overthrown a bigoted regime before. This could be interesting.”

“Thank you all so much. This is amazing.” Harry buzzed, “I can’t wait to share the plan with the gang. Can you all join us at our meeting in two days and we can hash out details? I know we probably shouldn’t share your identities, but I can relay any ideas or concerns you have with the group.”

They all agreed, and North shouted, “Let us have some coco to celebrate!”

So the next hour was spent relaxing, drinking hot chocolate and listening to Christmas carols in the month of May. Grateful houselves, that were already looking taller and speaking more clearly, waited on them and played with a laughing Teddy.

Harry finally apparated them home because despite his nap Teddy was looking exhausted from the busy day. He let Jack read quietly with Teddy to help wind him down, while he put together a small meal that didn’t consist solely of cookies and milk. While he bustled around the kitchen he found himself humming the Christmas carols. Harry rolled his eyes and himself and make a mental note to think of a way to pay North back for getting them stuck in his head.

He was just plating up some cottage pie when a stray lyric floated through his mind as he hummed and caused him to freeze. Taking a mental step back he thought threw the song again, this time numbing out-loud, “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose…Oh my god.”

Leaving the half plated dinner he rushed to the door of the kitchen, his heart caught in his throat and he melted inside at the sight that greeted him. Teddy was tucked securely into the lap of the most beautiful creature Harry had ever seen. Harry tried to catch his breath as his eyes traced over the pale figure that was the love of his life. 

Jack looked up, a smile on his lips from whatever he was saying to Teddy. The smile faded as he caught a glimpse of the look on Harry’s face, “Everything okay, Harry?”

The crystalline blue of those eyes meeting his own sparked Harry into action and he launched himself onto Jack, careful not to squish Teddy as wrapped his arms around Jack’s shoulders and gently bit his nose, “Hi.”

Big blue eyes widened in surprise, “You can see me?!”

Harry nodded, tears partially obscuring the beautiful vision before him, “I can see you, Jack Frost.”

Jack’s own eyes were starting to glisten wetly as well, “I love you, Harry Potter.”

“I love you too,” Harry said, meeting his lips tenderly.

“Bwody hell!” squawked Teddy happily, leading in and giving them both sloppy kisses on their cheeks.

———

“I can’t do it!” Harry cried in despair, “I can’t! And I don’t appreciate your laughing!”

Jack was nearly choking on his laughter as he watched Harry pace frantically in front of the door to Teddy’s bedroom.

“Harry, you need to put him to bed eventually.” Jack chuckled, shifting a dozing Teddy to his other shoulder and catching Harry around the waist and pulling him infor a group snuggle, “You are a wonderful parent and both of them know that.”

Harry whined in his throat and burrowed into Jack’s shoulder.

“Besides, the sooner we get him to bed the sooner I can cash in that raincheck. I am dying of curiosity to see your toy collection.” Jack whispered, his voice going a little deeper and making Harry shiver.

“Fuck!” Teddy sang, making Harry groan again.

“Okay, okay. I will do it.” With a deep breath, Harry collected Teddy and squared his shoulders.

Jack just laughed as Harry marched into Teddy’s room. 

“Wotcher Harry!” Called the woman from the portrait.

“Hi Tonks, hi Remus,” Harry greeted glumly.

“What’s wrong, Harry?” Remus asked.

“Teddy said his first word…well, words really.” Harry admitted, taking their nightly seat and facing the portrait.

“Oh, that is my smart boy, we knew you had it in you!” Tonks preened.

“What did he say?” Remus asked, obviously reading Harry’s wince.

“It isn’t really…”

“Fuck!” Teddy screeched happily clapping his hands at Tonks while he changed his hair the incandescent green go Tooth’s plumage.

Tonks snorted in laughter and Remus looked horrified.

“I swear I didn’t mean for…

“Bwody hell.” Teddy decided to throw out there for good measure. 

Harry groaned and Tonks laughed uproariously. 


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh my, only two chapters left!!

“So that went well!” Jack said cheerily. After the shock, Remus had found the whole situation just as amusing as Tonks and the both of them had had a good laugh at Harry’s expense. Harry had then handed Teddy over to Jack to get him in his pajamas and proceeded to explain all about Jack’s presence, the guardians, and their plan to the portrait. The couple were supportive, of both Jack and the plan and they had quickly settled the very sleepy boy in his crib. It was a testament to just how tired he was that the toddler hadn’t protested and immediately closed his eyes. 

“Yeah, yeah, it did.” Harry agreed, “I hope the rest of the group is as amenable to the plan.”

As the two immortal teens walked down the hall their hands tangled together, “Want to join me in the shower before bed?”

Jack blinked, “Uh, yeah. I have never had a real shower. They didn’t have them back in my day. And now I just dive in a lake every now and then.”

“Oh, you are in for an experience. You said the heat won’t hurt you, yeah?”

Jack shook his head, “No, just like being inside you, hot things feel really good.”

Harry blushed bright red and just led the other boy into the bathroom. It turns out showers were amazing, and showers with your naked boyfriend scrubbing you down were even better. 

————

By the time the two emerged they were squeaky-clean everywhere. And Harry was shyly opening a drawer in his nightstand, “No judging, I haven’t even tried half of this stuff. It was just…I was really sheltered at school and when I discovered porn…I just conjured anything that looked interesting. 

Jack peered in the drawer over his shoulder and realized it was a lot bigger on the inside than the outside. It contained all manner of things, only some of which Jack new the purpose of. Rather than let himself feel intimidated he grinned at Harry, “What is your favorite thing?”

Harry blushed again and reached forward, grabbing a small black bit of plastic. He handed it to Jack, who studied it curiously. He had never seen anything quite like it. Obviously it was meant to go inside a person, or at least part of it was, but it was smaller than the phalluses that Jack had seen inside the drawer, and it had a nubby bit at the bottom. “What is it?”

Harry turned even more red, “It is a prostate massager.”

Jack turned it over in his hand, it still didn’t seem very impressive, “What about it do you like so much?”

“Well, it causes really intense feelings and I can make it vibrate with my magic and I can wear it easily for extended periods.” Harry explained, “Sometimes I wear it for hours to keep me on edge even just doing the laundry or something. Or I turn it on when I am using the…the fleshlight and…fuck it is really, really intense.”

Jack reached back into the drawer and retrieved said fleshlight (at least he knew what that was). He had a thought and smiled wickedly at Harry, then hid both items behind his back switching around their positions a few times, “Want to have some fun?”

Harry laughed, still pink cheeked from his explanation earlier, “Obviously.”

“Pick a hand. Whichever you choose will be what you use tonight. I will use the other. If you pick the fleshlight you use it while I fuck you while I wear the massager. If you pick the massager you wear it and fuck me while I fuck the fleshlight. Sound good?” Harry nodded frantically, making Jack chuckle, “Okay, pick a hand.”

Harry bit his lip and pointed to Jack’s left hand. Jack tossed him the fleshlight. “I guess I will have to wait another day to get pounded my your beautiful cock,” he said with a wink.

Harry’s blush was back in full force and Jack just had to kiss him. When they parted, both of their erections were straining together and both their breath was coming in short pants. Jack ghosted cold breath over Harry’s ear as he gave it a little nibble, “Want to prep me, while I prep you? Or do you want to uses that handy little spell of yours again?”

The choked noise of _want_ that came out of Harry’s mouth was adorable and hilarious at the same time, “Prep another time, my way is faster.”

Harry snapped his fingers and Jack nearly jumped in shock and the tingling slickness that suddenly filled his hole. He wiggled a little, “That will take some getting used to.”

Harry chuckled and eagerly dragged Jack down on the bed, their mouths meeting again fervently. After a few minutes Harry pulled back, “Can I…can I put it inside you?”

Jack rolled over and spread his legs shamelessly, handing Harry the massager. To Jack’s surprise, Harry ducked his head down and licked up Jacks smooth crack, “You weren’t lying. You seriously have no hair at all.”

As he spoke, one of his hands was soothing up Jack’s hairless thigh and his other was exploring his balls. Jack could only gasp as that tongue returned just for a few moments then was replaced by the feel of warm plastic sliding smoothly in. His hole parted easily, Harry’s spell relaxing the muscles and slicking the way. Jack had barely ever done anything back there and the small looking toy suddenly seemed much larger as it pressed in. He jolted as the end of the toy settled in place against his prostate and he couldn’t help his shout of, “Oh holy fucking hell.”

It didn’t end there though, for as soon as he shifted purpose of the nub on the front of the toy suddenly became clear as it rubbed that same spot through his perineum. Jack’s hand quickly gripped the base of his cock to keep himself from cumming embarrassingly prematurely. He panted and tried to stay as still as possible and Harry watched on with an evil smirk. 

“It’s good, yeah?”

“Shit, yeah.” Jack moaned, “Don’t you dare make it vibrate. I will cum like a fucking virgin. And I haven’t been a virgin for like sixteen hours so that would be embarrassing.”

Harry snorted and clambered atop the pale teen, “Need me to conjure you a cock-ring?”

“Fuck, will you judge me if I say yes?”

Harry just waved his hand and a tightening feeling wound around his cock and balls. Jack breathed a moment of relief, it was just enough pressure to keep the feeling of imminent orgasm at bay.

“I have set the release to be my orgasm. So as soon as I cum the ring will disappear.” Harry told him, then smirked, “It will also trigger the plug to vibrate.”

“Shit, you are going to kill me.” Jack moaned, looking up at Harry, wondering if the younger boy could see the awe on Jack’s face.

Harry had squirmed so he was now hovering just above Jack’s cock, “Ready?”

Jack nodded, wondering when he had lost the upper hand and when his Harry had morphed into a fucking succubus…or incubus…which one had a dick? He could never remember and Harry definitely had a dick…and fucking hell! Jack was pulled out of his thoughts as he felt Harry’s scorching hole sink down his length, causing him to tense and the massager pressed more firmly into his sensitive places. 

Jack swore and moaned and whimpered as Harry began rotating his hips. Thank god for the fucking cock ring helping him hold on to his orgasm, barely. It was doing nothing to help his sanity however. Opening his eyes (he had no idea when he had squeezed them shut) he saw the stunning image of Harry riding him with abandon, his beautiful cock bouncing with his movements. 

Somehow, Jack realized that they had forgotten something and reached out blindly with his hand, cheering internally when he found what he was looking for. With the last of his mental faculties hechecked to make sure it was lubed (Harry must have done that too) and smoothly guided the fleshlight over Harry’s cock where it slid in perfectly on his next gyration.

Harry’s moan was magnificent and he immediately curved forward his abs tensing as he fucked forward into the toy. He slammed back and then forward again his eyes squeezed shut and soft, incredulous oh’s escaping his lips. Jack was fervently glad when Harry’s hands came and grasped the toy, leaving Jack to clench the sheets and try desperately not to cum before Harry. 

Harry now held the fleshlight in both hands and was humping into it with animal like movements. Jack couldn’t take his eyes away as Harry lost himself to lust. It was fucking beautiful. With a cry of Jack’s name Harry gave one last thrust, his inner muscles squeezing around Jack and the next moment Jack’s world went white. The toy inside him buzzed to life, pressed right against his prostate and the tightness of the cocking disappeared. The orgasm that crashed through him was so all consuming it was almost painful and his hands found Harry’s hips and his cock drove deep filling Harry with a seemingly endless stream of cum as the massager continued to buzz against his prostate.

Finally, his body relaxed and the vibrations faded away. His hole still throbbed pleasantly around the toy, almost in time to the aftershocks of Harry’s body around his softening cock. He wondered if they could sleep still attached like this sometime. 

Jack’s body felt loose and sleepy. He was definitely having a nap with Harry before he went out for a few hours to do some rounds. He hadn’t played with any kids in a few nights, if you didn’t count Teddy and he had to go spreed some fun. But that could wait a few hours. He had spent the last three hundred years playing, he could always take time now for his family.

He had a family. 

Jack smiled.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Second to last chapter! Which means tomorrow it will be over...coincidentally tomorrow is my birthday. What were the chances!?!

Harry bit his lip nervously as he stood looking over the small crowded room. He was ready to reveal Jack’s plan and he didn’t know how it would be accepted. It involved putting a lot of trust in beings that they could not see and had no experience working with. Harry and the guardians had agreed not to reveal their true identities, not wanting people to think Harry was absolutely losing his mind. He wished that he had at least had time to run the plan by Ron and Hermione, but neither of their schedules had been conducive to getting together. 

As Harry, once again, stepped up in front of the group they all quieted their chatter and looked at him expectantly, “Erm, thanks everyone for all the work you have done over the last few days. You have gathered a lot of information that will be needed in the days ahead. We now the location of three separate facilities the ministry is using to house magical creatures. A few people have submitted a few suggestions on how to proceed, which mostly fell into two categories: taking over the ministry by force, or taking it over through political overthrow. Both ideas had pros and cons and can be discussed, but umm another suggestion with some merit has been put forth and I wanted to discuss it.”

The room looked curious and Harry wished that Jack could explain his own plan. It was harder to remember that the others couldn’t see him, or even hear him in some cases, when he was standing clear as day at Harry’s side. Meeting his eyes, Jack gave him a reassuring squeeze. The other guardians were waiting in the back of the room, well out of the way of everyone else. 

“So this idea involves the help of Jack and a few of his companions who have offered to help. As elemental beings they are able to do a few things we can’t and I think Jack’s plan could do the whole wizarding world some good.” Harry prefaced. He noted a few looks of concern but on a whole the room still seemed open so he continued and explained the plan he and the guardians had discussed. When he finished the room was silent and Harry braced for the reaction.

Draco, unsurprisingly, was one of the first people with an opinion, “You expect the wizarding world to survive without their wands for at least a year?”

To Harry’s surprise he didn’t sound angry or upset, he sounded amused…almost to the point of laughter. Then Draco called out to Pansy, “Oi Pans, how you going to do your hair each morning.”

Pansy sniffed, “I can manage perfectly well, thank you.”

The room chuckled, but there was still a slight undercurrent of unease.

“Can we trust them, these new friends of yours?” Molly asked, hesitantly. 

“They are much older than any of us and have been around a long time. They don’t normally get involved in human maters, but are willing to make an exception for us. I trust Jack and Jack trusts them.”

“How do we know they can do what you claim?” Blaise called.

Harry raised an eyebrow at him and looked at Tooth, “Want to give them a preview?”

She buzzed happily and shot around the room faster than Harry could track. She arrived at hiss side a moment later with everyone wands in her hand. The room couldn’t even see them until she handed them to Harry. The room gasped, clutching at now empty pockets and wand holsters, many of which had enchantments to specifically protect against wand theft. 

Harry quickly tossed the wands back to their owners, “See, they work by a different set of rules than us and only some things cross over.”

Hermione must have decided it was time to really get things done, “Alright, I think we shall take a vote if we are comfortable moving forward with this idea as a base, minding that we will need to do some fine tuning. For example, I think we will beed committees to work in each major area going forward to help our…friends…with ongoing organization etcetera. But that can be hashed out later.”

“Realize we would not be excluded from this, although we may have our wands an extra few days while we assure all the creature facilities are shut down, we would be giving ours up too in the end.” Harry piped up, just to be sure everyone fully understood, “We can’t expect others to embrace this as a learning opportunity if we don’t ourselves.”

“Not like you will be effected much, mate.” Charlie chuckled. Harry’s windless magic capabilities were the worst kept secret among this group. 

Harry flushed a little, “I know it isn’t quite fair in that regard, but my path is headed in a different direction. Although I will visit, once this is sorted I am leaving the wizarding world. Jack and I are going to be figuring out where we fit but it isn’t going to be fully in wizarding or muggle society.”

Although this wasn’t the first time Harry had talked about leaving, the very imminent reality of it had the room sobering as Hermione once again took over and Harry leaned into Jack for comfort. Jack nuzzled the shorter boy’s hair and whispered, “You did wonderfully, love.”

Harry just nuzzled back as they watched Herminone handle the meeting with ease. Soon votes were taken, opinions validated and in short order they were ready to further develop their plan. It was going to happen, they were moving forward with Jack’s plan.

After an official introduction of the guardians, using just their short names. Many were able to hear them as they could Jack. This allowed Harry and Jack to spend the rest of the evening primarily as observers and intermediaries as Hermione quickly organized groups of people to assist each guardian. Hermione and her team were to organize the wands from Tooth for their eventual return. It was decided that an exception would have to be made for healers but each would be met with privately by Pompfree and Minerva to discuss the situation. If they looked like they would cause trouble their wands would be confiscated too. 

Bill and his team were to work with North at delivering funds from family’s Gringotts accounts to them as muggle money periodically, and closing Gringotts to normal wizarding business. Ironically it was almost what the ministry had be worried about in the beginning, but it was being led by fellow wizards not the goblins, although Bill assured them they would have the goblin’s support. 

The twins teamed up with Bunny, eager to create ways to keep people from gathering in wizarding districts. The twins also volunteered to contact and support any small businesses, like their own, that could be damaged from lack of customers. They would be assured that they would be supported in reopening when the time was up. Sandy and Jack worked with Harry and Ron and the teams that were going to be raiding the creature facilities, working out a plan for entry and recovery.

A date was set for four days from that night, that would give Hermione and Tooth, North and Bill, and the twins and Bunny, time to strategize and plan. Teddy, who had fallen asleep in Sandy’s cloud a while back, woke up fussy and Harry was glad of the excuse to slip home earlier than he usually would feel required to. 

As they settled on the couch for some snuggle time, just the three of them, Jack maneuvered Harry so he was laying against Jack, Teddy covering his chest. Jack ran cool hands through Harry’s hair, “You holding up okay, love?”

Harry smiled tiredly into his touch, “It seems more real now. We are really going to do it all. We are going to stop the ministry. We are really going to start our life together.”

Jack grinned down at his tired soulmate, “What do you want that to be, Harry? We can take Teddy and go anywhere. There are whole swaths of the world open only to elemental beings. I can show you them all.”

Harry hummed happily, “I just want somewhere safe and happy for Teddy. I had such a terrible childhood, I don’t want anyone to go through that. Can we find a safe place for him, somewhere where he doesn’t need to hide who he is, somewhere he can make all sorts of friends?”

“If we can’t find such a place, we will make one.” Jack said confidently, “You and I, Harry, have nothing but time, but Teddy only has one childhood and it will fly by. We will do everything to make it as perfect as we can.”

Harry snuggled into the cool body behind him, “I love you, Jack Frost.”

“And I love you, Harry Potter.” Jack said, leaning down and nipping the tip of Harry’s nose affectionately.

“It that an actual thing you do?” Indignantly rubbing his nose.

Jack laughed, “Only with you.” 


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter is here! I can't believe it is over!

Everything was going according to plan. The wizarding world was in an uproar. Having woken up to a world without wands everyone was clambering for answers. Everyone was busily reading the special bulletin that was left, with an allotment of Muggle money and a ‘How to survive in the muggle world’ pamphlet, that explained what was going on and why and how to contact a healer in a state of emergency. Any riots were stopped before they could start by Bunny, the twins and the rest of their team. So far so good.

Harry licked his lips nervously as he looked at the largest facility where ministry was housing creatures. They had already raided the other two smaller facilities which had been mainly housing non-sentient creatures and a few entire colonies of pixies. There had been little resistance and most of the creatures were easily returned to their native habitats. A few had been taken to Hogwarts for treatment from Hagrid and the staff for various ailments and injuries. 

This place looked different, even from the outside it. The other facilities had looked like large farms, with different enclosures and buildings where the creatures housed. The main building here looked like the laboratory of some evil scientist. Harry had a sense of dread just looking at it. Their group split up, Harry, Jack, Neville, and Ron taking the main building. 

They approached carefully but there were no staff seemingly about. Just like at the other two places it had been abandoned as the wizarding world fell to chaos. As they moved through the building, they saw it truly had been some horrible base for experimentation. There were labs and potions and all sorts of medieval-looking medical equipment and when they found the prisoners it was clear that the workers had targeted the youngest and most vulnerable first. There were dozens of children packed in cells and cages right off the labs, while the adults were held in a dungeon-like space underground. 

It broke Harry’s heart to leave them in those cages for even the few minutes that they swept the building, and the tension radiating from Jack showed he was just as affected. As soon as they gave the all-clear on Harry and Jack raced to the children, while Neville and Ron took to the dungeons. 

Harry approached the caged softly, assuring them he was here to help. Some of the children approached him eagerly, running into his arms, and even clamoring to Jack once he was introduced. Others were obviously traumatized and huddled in their cages until Harry gathered them into his welcoming arms. There were a few no older than Teddy and Harry had tears running down his face as he cuddled one baby girl, who seemed to be at least part veela, that was barely conscious. It had been housed with some slightly older children that had been trying to care for her but didn’t know how to do it properly. All the children seemed underweight and Harry immediately conjured some apples and milk which the children fell upon with gusto, making Harry wonder what they had eaten regularly. He found some supplies for the baby and fixed her a proper bottle which he had to coax her to drink. 

All in all, they found over two dozen children ranging from thirteen to the baby in Harry’s arms. Jack had two toddlers, twin boy vampires, tucked under each arm. Harry had everyone hold hands, a few more small children heard in the arms of the older ones, as they made their way into the fresh air of the grounds. 

Ron and Neville had many of the adults there, although some had been to feral to remove without assistance and brought to Hogwarts for treatment. Many of the children cried out and more tears were shed as families were reunited. Still, once the reunions were finished and the situation explained to the adults, they found themselves with fifteen traumatized children and Harry suddenly realized a flaw in their plan. 

They had just overrun Hogwarts with injured and tortured creatures. St. Mungos was probably overrun with ‘sick’ wizards and witches trying to find loopholes in their new system, and they not set up a safe place for the children until they hunted down their families. Many of the children clung to either Jack, Harry or each other for comfort. Harry had so many small fists clenched around the material of his trousers he could barely walk.

“Jack,” Harry said, looking at the other man, his eyes wide.

The look on Jack’s face, Harry assumed, must mimic his own. Some horrible mixture of shock, revulsion, worry, and determination. Jack nodded at him as if knowing what Harry was going to say before he had even fully formed the idea, “We protect them and keep them safe as long as they need.”

Harry knelt down so he was on eye-level with many of the children, the older ones circling in forming a tight ring with Harry at the center, “I know…I know you have all been scared for a long time. I know you have seen an ugly horrible side of the world that should have even existed. I know you have been brave, and I need you to be brave a little longer. The world was supposed to protect you and we failed and I am sorry. I promise we will keep you safe until we can find your homes and your families. Until then, if you like you can come to stay with me and Jack and my son. We will have to work together and help each other a bit, but I promise with everything I have that I will not let anyone hurt you when you are with me, ok?”

There were a few nods.

“Potter, you okay?” Draco called from where he was just returning after having appeared another load of people to Hogwarts. 

“Yeah, these guys are going to come to my house for an extended sleepover,” Harry said with a soft smile that had some of the children snigger a little.

Then one girl of about eight with tiny hooves peeking out from her robe, asked, “Are you Harry Potter?”

Harry nodded, “Yes, that is me.”

A few children gasped, evidently knowing about the whole saving the world from Voldemort thing. It was possibly the first time Harry was happy for his fame if it allowed these children to trust him a little more readily. 

Draco had reached their group by now and was studying them, “You are going to fit everyone in your tiny cottage?”

“I can tack on a few extra rooms. I had practice repairing the burrow. We will manage for the time being,” He said looking at the group of tiny faces and huge eyes, “We will manage.”

“How are you going to get them all there? I don’t think appareling in their state is a good idea. Even some of the adults have been having bad reactions when we got them to their locations.”

“I know a guy,” said Jack brightly.

———

Thirty minutes later, many in their group of dower children were cheering as Santa Clause himself landed a giant sleigh on a patch of snow created by Jack. 

Jack laughed, “Everybody loves the sleigh.”

Harry magicked seatbelts and about a dozen safety charms and they loaded up. 

North’s cheery voice boomed, “Hold on tight!”

There were even a few shrieks of laughter from wonderous faces as they shot into the sky. 

———

Harry collapsed onto the couch beside Jack. They had yet to collect Teddy from the Weasley’s but had decided it was ok if he fell asleep there as they got everyone else settled in. In the end, Harry had only added one new room to the house and expanded Teddy’s room and the guest room. Teddy’s room fit all the little ones under three, except for the infant who would sleep in Harry and Jack’s room. The others were split into boys and girls in the other rooms, where bunks and beds had been set up haphazardly depending on the preferences of the kids. Some wanted to sleep in groups, others on their own.

Harry had told them that they did not need to reveal their creature identity (although some were obvious) if they did not want to, but if they had any special needs to let him know. From what he could tell, they had three fawns, one half-gnome, two feathered sirens, a few veela with varying levels of wizarding blood, one goblin, the two vampire toddlers, and at least one werewolf. The other children had few if any distinguishing features that Harry could see. 

Hermione and a number of their group were scouring the ministry records for information on the foundlings, but so far it was limited and incomplete. Worse were the corpses discovered in another building on the property that were evidently saved for further experimentation and harvesting for ingredients. Who knew if some of these children even had families left to return to. 

Harry curried his face into Jack’s shoulder, too worn out at this point to cry, “Fuck, Jack, what are we going to do?”

Cool soothing hands threaded themselves into Harry’s hair, “We will do exactly as you said. We will give them a safe place as long as they need it.”

Jack had spent much of the afternoon playing with the children while Harry worked on expanding the house and summoning everything they needed. Evidently, Jack’s magic ability to make people see fun was just the thing to loosen up the group. Not everyone participated, but Harry could see as even some of the most traumatized started to relax. 

The other guardians kept stopping in too and between Sandy and the stress of the day everyone was snoozing soundly. 

“What if we can’t find their homes? What if we can’t find a place for them?” Harry asked, looking into Jack’s loving blue eyes.

“You know Harry, we have both been looking for purpose. Maybe this was Fate’s way of giving us one. Maybe this is what we are meant for.” As he spoke Harry could heat a spark of passion growing in Jack’s voice.

“Housing a horde of homeless children?”

“Maybe we are meant to give a place to the hurt and forgotten. The people like us, that don’t quite fit in with the rest. We find them a place and if there is none they find it with us.”

“You are talking beyond just this group aren’t you?” Harry asked.

“Well we do have eternity,” Jack’s small grin was cheeky, “We can’t take in the world, but we could make a difference for those we can.”

“It would give Teddy a place to belong no matter what,” Harry said, thinking over Jack’s idea.

Jack nodded encouragingly.

“And we could set up a real place, not just this tiny house.” Harry continued, starting to picture Jack’s idea.

Jack smiled.

“And you and the other guardians could always be on the lookout for others that needed us,” Harry could feel the idea growing in his chest like a warm spark.

“We could, couldn’t we?” Jack asked eagerly even as Harry was nodding slowly still thinking heavily.

“This would be a lot, Jack. I mean I have raised Teddy, but we have him and five other kids up there under three. I know some of them will have homes, but still…”

“We have Dobby and maybe we can ask if a few of North’s elves want to come work with us.”

Harry looked at Jack seriously but with hope burning brightly in his chest, “Do you really want this? Do you really want this to be your life?”

“If you are by my side, Harry, I can think of nothing better.”

Harry grinned and Jack leaned in kissing him soundly. Just as things were getting a little heated, a sniffling cry came from the bassinet on the coffee table and Harry laughed, “Welcome to fatherhood, Jack. Even with Sandy’s help, we will still have interruptions.”

“It will be worth it,” he said plucking up the little girl they had taken to calling Princess, “You go pick up Teddy and I will get her settled.”

Harry smiled at the other man and leaned in for another quick peck, “I love you.”

Jack smiled back, seeing everything he ever needed in the other boy’s eyes, “I love you too.”

The End


End file.
